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Ronaldo confirms he's staying at Al-Nassr and makes bold Saudi Pro League prediction

talksport.com, 1 June 2023, 20:36
Cristiano Ronaldo has committed his future to Al-Nassr, saying that he will continue in Saudi Arabia next term.

The Portuguese star completed a shock move to the club during the January transfer window having had his contract at Manchester United terminated earlier in the season.

He was expected to lead his club to glory, however, Al-Nassr fell short in the Saudi Pro League, missing out on the league title to arch rivals Al-Ittihad.

With suggestions that Ronaldo was unhappy with the club, the 38-year-old has been linked with a move away this summer with a switch to Saudi-owned Newcastle United tipped as a potential destination.

But in an interview with the SPL, Ronaldo said that not only is he planning to stay, but that he expects big things for the Saudi game.

He said: "The league is very good.

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"But I think we have many, many opportunities to still grow. The league is competitive. We have very good teams, very good Arab players, but they need to improve the infrastructure a little bit more.

"Even the referees, the VAR system, should be a little quicker. I think other small things they need to improve.

"But I am happy here, I want to continue here, I will continue here. And in my opinion if they continue to do the work that they want to do here, for the next five years, I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world."

Speaking about his impressions of Al-Nassr, he added: "To be honest I expected to win something this year, but it is not always the way we think or the way we want, sometimes we need passion, consistency, and persistence to achieve the best things.

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"So, I still believe that next year we will improve a lot, let us say in the last five or six months, the team has improved a lot, even the league, all the teams improved.

"It takes time sometimes, but if you believe and you think it is your goal, I think everything is possible. I expected to win something this year, but we didn't. But next year I am really positive and confident that things will change, and we go in a better way."

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