Previously, head coach Eddie Howe was asked about the prospect of signing Ronaldo and reiterated the club’s policy of signing younger players in an effort to get the average age of the squad down.
“He’s a fantastic player,” Howe stated. “Look at his goal total from last year. It was unbelievable.” The transfer worked for me; it was a success.
“He scored some huge goals last year, including some crucial late goals in the Champions League.” He is still a fantastic player who should never be underestimated.
“We’re trying to provide long-term growth, we’ve got a longer-term vision. At the moment, we have quite an aging squad, so we probably need to invest in more young players. That’s probably a big part of our progression, really.
“We need to get the average age down, so it might not be a signing that we would necessarily look to make – but not under-estimating the quality of the player.”
According to reports, Al Nassr has offered the former Real Madrid star a deal for £200 million per year. They are, however, not the only Saudi Arabian club thought to be interested in Ronaldo.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, rivals Al-Hilal, the reigning Saudi Pro League champions, have contacted Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes. However, it is far from simple, with Al-Hilal unable to make new signings until the summer.
