Newcastle Boss Rubbishes Cristiano Ronaldo's Loan Move From Al Nassr; Here's What He Said

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has rubbished reports regarding Cristiano Ronaldo's loan move from Al Nassr to St. James' Park.

After Ronaldo signed with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, there were reports suggesting the Portuguese forward would be allowed to leave on loan to Newcastle, who are owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, should the Magpies qualify for the Champions League for next season.

"We wish Cristiano all the best in his new venture, but there's no truth in that from our perspective," Howe told reporters Tuesday ahead of his side's trip to London.

Newcastle held Premier League leaders Arsenal at a 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium, which denied Mikel Arteta's side to go 10 points clear at the top. Still, at the top of the table, Arsenal are eight points ahead of second-placed Manchester City and nine points ahead of Newcastle.

Ronaldo recently parted ways with Manchester United on mutual consent. The 37-year-old forward signed with Al Nassr on a two-year contract as a free agent. It was earlier reported Ronaldo had a clause in his Al Nassr contract that would allow him to move to Newcastle on loan if the St. James' Park side secured a place in the Champions League for the 2023-24 campaign.

Newcastle, who are aiming to qualify for their first Champions League season in two decades, are currently in the third spot in the 2022-23 Premier League table. The Magpies have 35 points, the same as fourth-placed Manchester United and one less than Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Having won as many as five Champions League titles, Ronaldo holds many records in the top European competition. He has netted 140 goals in comparison to his arch-rival Lionel Messi's 129 goals. Ronaldo also holds the record for most Champions League appearances – 183 matches, ahead of his former Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas (177) and Messi (161).

Before his exit from European soccer, Ronaldo played in the Europa League with Manchester United earlier this season, while Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Messi is competing in the Champions League. Ahead of PSG's Round of 16 fixtures in February, Messi will look to close the scoring gap with Ronaldo into single figures.

While Ronaldo may not be playing in Europe anymore, his lucrative contract will see him earn more annually than any other professional soccer player, reportedly around $209 million a year.