Cristiano Ronaldo offered contract by non-league club
If you don't buy a ticket, you don't win the raffle. If you don't shoot you don't score. If you don't bid for one of the best players in the history of football, he doesn't join your club.
That appears to be the mindset of non-league outfit AFC Crewe, who have made the rather ambitious decision to attempt to sign Cristiano Ronaldo after the player's contract with Manchester United was terminated by mutual consent with immediate effect on Tuesday.
AFC Crewe, of the 14th tier Crewe and District League Premier Division, have offered the Portuguese star wages of £35-per-week. Perhaps even more boldly it's a 'take it or leave it' offer once Ronaldo has returned from World Cup duty with Portugal.
We can confirm that the club has made an official approach to sign free agent Cristiano Ronaldo @Cristiano on a one year deal. Should Cristiano accept the offer, he would become AFC Crewe’s highest paid player, taking home £35 per week. pic.twitter.com/1i64sKb2W1
— AFC Crewe (@afc_crewe) November 22, 2022
It would apparently make him the highest-paid player at the club - surely a prerequisite for Ronaldo to entertain any bid for his services - and add much-needed experience and a winning mentality to the squad. For instance, the number of Champions League medals in the AFC Crewe squad would jump from zero to five.
It has been rumoured that Ronaldo could be moving to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, indicating that the metaphorical step down may well be quite steep after leaving Manchester United for the second time.
Meanwhile, 90min understands that Newcastle have ruled themselves out of the running to sign Ronaldo.
Ronaldo finds himself without a team after an explosive interview with Piers Morgan, during which he accused manager Erik ten Hag of disrespecting him, insulted former teammate Wayne Rooney and said the club hadn't made any progress since he departed the first time, way back in 2009.
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Manchester United also released a statement on Tuesday confirming that the club could be sold as their owners since 2005, the Glazers, “consider all strategic alternatives.”
Whether AFC Crewe have had a whip around to buy Manchester United itself has yet to be confirmed.