Cristiano Ronaldo Next Club Odds: Transfer Betting Market Moves Amid Saudi Reports

Betting sites are still offering odds on Cristiano Ronaldo's next club despite reports he has agreed to join Saudi Arabia side Al Nassr.

According to Spanish publication Marca, the Portugal international is close to signing a deal worth £173m per year, prompting some bookmakers to suspend betting on his future, though others still offer odds.

BetVictor and Parimatch go 1/5 on a move to any Saudi club, but Chelsea (3/1) also remain in the frame, while Newcastle have been backed in from 25/1 to 6/1 over the last week. 

Why Has Ronaldo Left Man Utd?

Ronaldo left Manchester United "by mutual agreement" following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

The Portuguese star claims to have been "betrayed" by the club in his second stint at Old Trafford, while he also revealed he does not respect the manager, Erik ten Hag. 

The club took a week to mull over the contents of the interview, which he gave without their consent, and ultimately decideded not to continue employing the 37-year-old.

Bookmakers reacted accordingly by pricing up the odds on who he'll sign for next, with Chelsea and Ronaldo's first professional club Sporting Lisbon originally among the frontrunners. 

Ronaldo's interview, which was aired in two parts on TalkTV just before the World Cup, was one of several disciplinary issues involving Ronaldo during a turbulent second spell at Old Trafford.

He inexplicably refused to come on as a substitute and subsequently walked out on his team-mates before full-time during their 2-0 win over Tottenham last month.  

Ronaldo also made no secret of his fury when being withdrawn during a 0-0 draw with Newcastle, but it appears his tell-all interview with Piers Morgan was the last straw. 

Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, struggled to find suitors that could match his salary demands in the summer, but has changed since he became a free agent.

Below, we look deeper into the odds on where Ronaldo might be playing his football in the near future.

Al Nassr’s Ronaldo Interest Seems Real

Reports of interest in Ronaldo from Saudi Arabia first surfaced in the summer, but were quickly shut down as it emerged the Portuguese still had aspirations of playing at the highest level, namely the Champions League. 

Perhaps Ronaldo has had a rethink on that, although the thought of being passed by rival Lionel Messi in the UCL’s all-time top goalscorer’s chart must surely be on his mind when deciding his next move. 

Taking the money and running off to Saudi Arabia may be the easier option for Ronaldo, but he’s not exactly short of cash so there’s still reason to believe that any such move could break down if a top European side expresses interest. 

Ronaldo To Chelsea?

Chelsea’s new owner, Todd Boehly, reportedly passed up the chance to sign Ronaldo after meeting with Mendes in the summer. 

However, the Blues have since sacked Thomas Tuchel, who was against signing the Portuguese. 

Summer arrival Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - who joined the club to be reunited with Tuchel - has scored a handful of goals but hasn't exactly hit the ground running, so Chelsea may yet revive interest in Ronaldo. 

Chelsea could certainly afford his wage demands and they are already through to the Champions League knockout stages, but it remains to be seen if new manager Graham Potter would welcome the addition of Ronaldo to his squad.

Any MLS Club

Ronaldo turned down a huge offer from Saudi champions Al Hilal in the summer, as he was keen to stay in Europe.

He is also likely to reject a move to Al Hilal or Al Nassr for the same reasons, so the chances of him leaving for the MLS look slim.

However, if no concrete offers arrive from Champions League clubs, Ronaldo may take the opportunity to build up his brand Stateside by signing a short-term contract with a franchise like LA Galaxy or Inter Miami, so he is 9/1 to move to an MLS club.

Ronaldo Next Club: Sporting Lisbon?

Ronaldo was heavily linked with a return to boyhood club Sporting Lisbon as he agitated for a move in the summer. A transfer failed to materialise, but it could be resurrected now he has become a free agent. 

Sporting were impressive in the Champions League this season. They were very competitive in their group but just fell short of reaching the knockout stage.

Ronaldo is desperate to play Champions League football again, as he fears being overtaken by fierce rival Lionel Messi in the all-time goalscoring stakes, so that could hamper their hopes of bringing him home. 

Sporting are a strong team, but they could do with a little star quality if they are to go deep into the competition next season, although they would have to shatter their wage structure or convince him to take a major pay cut.

Football betting sites vary on their odds of a move to Sporting. BetVictor go 5/1 on any Portuguese club to sign him, including Benfica and Porto who remain in the Champions League.

Any Spanish Club

Atlético Madrid appeared to be Ronaldo’s most serious suitors in the summer, as manager Diego Simeone is reportedly keen to work with him.

That would have risked tarnishing his legacy at Real Madrid, but a return to the Spanish capital with Atletico now looks unlikely as they have crashed out of the Champions League. 

Sevilla and Barcelona have also been dumped out of the competition, meaning Real Madrid are the only remaining La Liga side. A move to any Spanish club next for Ronaldo is priced at 8/1.

Any French Club

PSG have the financial muscle to bring Ronaldo to the French capital, but they are already well-stocked with superstar forwards.

Rumours linked Ronaldo with a move to Marseille in the summer, so that could be a possible destination for the former Real Madrid and Juventus forward.

A move to France looks marginally more likely than some other major leagues such as the Bundesliga or Serie A, which is reflected in the odds at 10/1 on betting apps for a move to Ligue 1.

Any German Club

The Portuguese idol is 12/1 to join a German club before February 5. 

There are only two teams that could realistically sign him - Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - and Bayern already ruled out a move in the summer.

Dortmund might be in the market for a forward and have made it through to the Champions League knockout stage.

They signed Sebastian Haller to replace the outgoing Erling Haaland in the summer, but he is sidelined while recovering from testicular cancer, leaving Dortmund light in attack. 

As such, a move to Germany seems more likely than France, despite what the odds say.

Any Italian Club

Ronaldo became the fastest player in history to score 50 Serie A goals during his time at Juventus, and a return to Italy would make a lot of sense.

Games are played at a more languid pace than the Premier League, with less of a focus on pressing, which would suit Ronaldo in the twilight of his career.

A return to Juventus, a move to one of the Milan clubs, a switch to Napoli or even a reunion with Jose Mourinho in Rome could be on the cards. He is 14/1 with BetVictor to move to an Italian club.