Ronaldo loan move to Al-Hilal 'counter-intuitive'

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The president of the Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal has stated that acquiring Cristiano Ronaldo on loan prior to the Club World Cup would have been "entirely counter-intuitive" since he previously played for their "main rival," Al-Nassr.

Following Fifa's announcement of an extra transfer window earlier this month due to the updated tournament format, Al-Hilal was rumored to be interested in a deal for the 40-year-old forward from Portugal.

Both teams from Riyadh are backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of the nation, and Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr is set to expire at the end of June.

When inquired about the potential move for the player, Esteve Calzada informed Sport, "We usually refrain from discussing the status of players, especially since our club often appears in the media when a player or agent aims to secure a better deal, or is looking to transfer."

"It's been quite an unusual transfer period, given the limited timeframe."

"You don’t want to make a decision with this tournament in mind that you will have to maintain for the next couple of years."

"Despite the utmost respect I have for Ronaldo as an exceptional player, it's certainly illogical to bring the most prominent player from your biggest rival onto your team."

"This holds even more weight when considering it's just for three to four weeks."

"We’ve been actively looking for ways to strengthen our roster. However, some players seemed to have the mindset of being 'already on holiday,' while others were simply asking for excessively high wages. We recognize that our team is already highly competitive."

"We will proceed with the standard transfer window once the tournament concludes, still holding significant ambitions to enhance our squad further."

Calzada shared this information in Miami, where Al-Hilal will face Ronaldo's former team Real Madrid in their first match of the Club World Cup on Wednesday at 20:00 BST.

Recently, Al-Hilal welcomed Simone Inzaghi as their new head coach but did not secure any significant player acquisitions before the competition in the United States.

Earlier this month, Manchester United's captain Bruno Fernandes indicated that he declined a substantial offer from Al-Hilal because he aspires to continue playing "at the highest possible level."

"I can't confirm or deny our interest in him," Calzada added.

"He's a remarkable player who fits the kind of profile we believe would benefit Al-Hilal, along with many others. We are not hesitant to reach out to players, assuming they would decline our advances."

"The players we are associated with reflect the club's ambitions. We feel confident in our ability to appeal to any players nowadays."

In recent times, Al-Hilal has reportedly looked into the possibility of acquiring Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez and Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.

While he declined to comment on those specific players, Calzada stated, "We aim to attract the most prominent athletes."

"We have great aspirations, yet it is crucial for us to observe a genuine desire from the player, and it is essential for the deal to be mutually beneficial.

"What we have been consistently trying to convey to both players and agents is that although we are based in Saudi Arabia, we do not simply generate money at will!"

"My position as CEO entails ensuring that we manage the club effectively to maximize our budget for acquiring top players, but not at any price.

"This is the reason we sometimes walk away from negotiations; we prefer players who are genuinely eager to join us rather than those solely focused on financial gain."

'No regrets' concerning Neymar

Al-Hilal achieved victory in the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League with contributions from players like Ruben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Joao Cancelo, but their record signing Neymar departed in January after making only seven appearances due to injuries sustained during his time in Riyadh.

When asked about any regrets regarding the Brazilian, Calzada—who has previously held positions at both Barcelona and Manchester City—responded, "I would say there are no regrets whatsoever.

"It's simply unfortunate that he sustained significant injuries. Criticizing Neymar for his injuries is always unjust, especially since many resulted from tackles by opponents.

"On a positive note, his presence did help to enhance the club’s global popularity. His arrival, along with other notable players, led to a surge in our social media followers.

"We now boast over 42 million followers online. Fortunately for us, a portion of those followers came to us because of Neymar’s arrival and chose to remain even after his departure.

"Thus, in that context, it creates a certain legacy that endures with us."

Inzaghi 'expected to lead us to victory again'

Al-Hilal concluded the Saudi Pro League season eight points shy of the new champions, Al-Ittihad, and dismissed Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus last month following the team's elimination from the Asian Champions League Elite semi-finals.

Inzaghi was appointed shortly after his previous club, Inter Milan, lost the Champions League final to PSG.

"It may appear that this decision was made hastily, but it is the outcome of diligent efforts," explained Calzada.

"He was engaged in a crucial match and requested that we postpone discussions until after the final. Although the agreement was made, it wasn't finalized before the match out of respect for his wishes, which was entirely reasonable.

"This past season, finishing second was not up to our usual standards.

"Simply put, we expect the new coach to help us reclaim our winning status and restore our championship."

Al-Hilal's upcoming match against Real Madrid on Wednesday mirrors the final of the 2022 competition.

Real Madrid triumphed 5-3 in Morocco, with Vinicius Jnr and Federico Valverde each netting twice, while Karim Benzema—now with Saudi club Al-Ittihad—also scored. Al-Hilal replied with goals from Moussa Marega and two by Luciano Vietto.

"It presents a significant chance for us to showcase our capabilities, as well as to evaluate our performance, as such opportunities are limited," stated Calzada.

"We're not looking to merely swap jerseys with Real Madrid players or seek exposure."

"We possess a highly skilled team, and with the arrival of a globally acclaimed new coach, we approach the tournament with our highest aspirations."