Ronaldo joins Al Nassr: Why Chelsea, Bayern and others chose not to sign the Portuguese striker

Cristiano Ronaldo finally put an end to speculation about his next destination on Friday as he completed his planned move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

Manchester United parted ways with the Portuguese superstar by mutual consent in November, despite the 37-year-old having more than six months left on his contract at Old Trafford.

The move came after an explosive interview in which Ronaldo said he felt 'betrayed' by United and expressed his lack of respect for manager Erik ten Hag and former boss Ralf Rangnick.

The World Cup emerged as Ronaldo's immediate priority, but he offered little with just one goal in the group stage against Ghana as Portugal failed to progress past the last eight.

Although Ronaldo failed to join a Champions League club before the start of the season, a return to Europe's elite competition still looked possible with Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Sporting CP linked .

Major League Soccer has also been touted as another avenue for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, although he opted for a move to the Middle East as he left Europe for the first time of his remarkable career.

Here, Stats Perform explores why some potential destinations for Ronaldo failed to materialize.

Major League Soccer

With the recent end of the MLS season, a move to North America would have given Ronaldo a clean slate for 2023 and boosted the league's profile ahead of the 2026 World Cup taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.< /p>

Ronaldo demanded a Designated Player spot for any franchise looking to move, eliminating several clubs from the equation, but David Beckham's Inter Miami was awarded with strong interest.

However, as speculation grows that the Herons are eyeing Lionel Messi, could Beckham and Miami really afford the two superstars?

Sport CP

Ronaldo's return to United was not as successful as fans would have liked, but a fairy tale reunion with boyhood club Sporting has always been suggested on several occasions.

The prospect of a Champions League next season may have pleased the striker, although Ruben Amorim's side will play in the Europa League this season after dropping out of UEFA's premier club competition .

While a historic move may have been of interest to romantics, the ties grew increasingly frustrating for Amorim, who responded angrily to such questions during the World Cup.

"Ronaldo was in Qatar, they had the opportunity to ask him and they didn't. I've been asked 500 times and I've already answered," he said after a victory on December 19 against Braga.

Bayern Munich

Reports suggest that Julian Nagelsmann has held talks with Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, although Bayern Munich chief executive Oliver Kahn never considered the former Real Madrid star moving to Spain. Germany.

“We briefly discussed Ronaldo at Bayern and Dortmund probably did too,” Kahn told BILD. "We also have an overview of the Bundesliga.

"Of course, superstars like Ronaldo are a big factor in bringing attention to the league. He's one of the greatest of the last decade. But we quickly dismissed that."

Chelsea

Chelsea have been repeatedly named as contenders to snatch the forward from Premier League rivals United in a bid to appease new owner Todd Boehly's desire to sign with the Blues.

Thomas Tuchel was reportedly against the proposal - although his sacking as Chelsea head coach earlier this year could have been the catalyst for a change of heart at Stamford Bridge.

But Graham Potter and Boehly have opted out of bringing in a plethora of attacking talent, while the Blues also appear to be strong favorites to sign RB Leipzig star Christopher Nkunku.

Napoli

Top of Serie A and heading into the World Cup break after an 11-game winning streak, Napoli have been touted as a potential suitor for Ronaldo, who dominated the Italian top flight for three years with Juventus.

Striker Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to United, but the Napoli bosses want to focus on the future, despite Ronaldo's outstanding performance in the Champions League.

"We wanted to invest in a young team," Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli told Corriere dello Sport.

He then added to Sky Sport Italia: "We never really talked about Ronaldo. In football you don't get anywhere with ifs and buts. We are happy with the team we have , we are convinced that it is a competitive team."

Atlético Madrid

He couldn't have, could he? After scoring 311 times in La Liga for Real Madrid, a move to fierce rivals Atletico would have represented one of the most memorable transfers in history.

While some at the Civitas Metropolitano may have flirted with the idea of ​​a seismic movement for their archn...