Cristiano Ronaldo is reported to have a clause in his contract which allows him to join Newcastle United on loan… if they qualify for the Champions League this season.
If true, it would be an interesting back door way of landing Ronaldo back into Europe via his new Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, without the Toon playing his £175m wages in full.
There may be commercial advantages too for Newcastle’s 80pc Saudi owners, the state run Public Investment Fund. But that’s where the upside ends. Ronaldo was eased out by Manchester United partly because he didn’t fit with the new energetic style of play brought in by Erik Ten Hag.