Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr has predictably generated its fair share of buzz, and not surprisingly, there have been quite a lot of rumors about the Portuguese star's move to the Middle East.
One that has been generating a lot of traction is a potential move back to the Premier League - but not exactly in the way one would expect. Ronaldo's current club Al Nassr and Newcastle United share the same owners, meaning that moves back and forth between the two teams can certainly be done, assuming that there's a specific clause in a player's contract.
Although the 37-year-old claimed that his work in Europe is "done", many feel that he certainly would not turn down an opportunity to grace the Champions League once again should the opportunity arise.
At the moment, Newcastle are in contention to qualify for European club football's premier competition thanks to a very impressive 2022/23 campaign. Eddie Howe's men have lost just once all season and sit in third place, ahead of English giants such as Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham.
However, Howe himself has moved to deny that the club are interested in bringing in Ronaldo, with his focus being giving youngsters more playing time. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be 38 by the time the next iteration of the Champions League comes around, and others at the club are also quite turned off by his massive wage demands - something that would upset the balance of things on the pitch and in the dressing room.
So, for now, it looks like that door is firmly shut and Cristiano Ronaldo and the Champions League have gone their separate ways. Of course, anything is possible in football, and stranger things have happened, meaning that it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility to see the Portuguese superstar gracing the tournament next season.
