Cristiano Ronaldo tipped to ditch Saudi millions for move to Welsh side Wrexham

Cristiano Ronaldo is enjoying the twilight of his career earning millions of dollars over in Saudi Arabia, but one former Premier League player thinks the Portuguese could make a staggering return to the UK. William Gallas, formerly of Arsenal and Chelsea, hasn't dismissed the notion of Ronaldo making a sensational move to Wrexham .

At 39, Ronaldo maintains his stature in the game, recently bagging his 133rd goal for Portugal in their 3-1 victory over Poland and hitting a personal milestone with his 900th career goal.

Since heading to Saudi Arabia in December 2022 , the legend has notched up 72 goals in 79 matches for Al-Nassr, raking in a reported $228 million annually. The five-time Ballon d'Or recipient has hinted at his intention to stick with the club indefinitely, yet his contract is drawing to a close next summer, which might prompt a quest for a fresh experience.

Ronaldo's potential transfer to Wrexham, a team now contending in League One, might seem far-fetched, yet Gallas believes it's within the realm of possibility. Speaking to Prime Casino, Gallas expressed his open-mindedness about such a move: "Cristiano Ronaldo to Wrexham? Anything is possible in football in the modern game."

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He also noted the changing landscape where money influences significant decisions in football: "It wouldn't surprise me because money talks and we've seen that nothing is impossible these days."

He further highlighted the evolving dynamics in player transfers and club strategies: "You see young players going to Saudi Arabia when they would have never left Europe in the past. Footballers and football clubs are now obsessed with their brands too and their sponsors... you can make a lot of money and not just from your wages at your club.

"Now everything is about social media and having millions of followers, and both Wrexham and Ronaldo have huge profiles so why not. I have spoken to my former team-mates about social media and everything that goes on now and it feels like a different world. So many things are now possible.

"Ronaldo is more than just a footballer, he's a product and he's also still scoring so many goals on the pitch. There will be so many clubs still happy to have him."

Wrexham has become a fairy tale sensation since Hollywood buddies Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds took over, skyrocketing in global popularity with their Welcome to Wrexham docuseries. The legendary Welsh team snapped their 15-year stay outside the league last season, grabbing promotion after promotion to land in League One, eyeing their first stint in the second division since the early '80s.

While Wrexham's famous duo has lured several ex-Premier League players like Ben Foster, James McClean, and Steven Fletcher, signing someone like Ronaldo would totally wreck their salary chart. George Evans, who tops Wrexham's pay list, pockets about $9,000 weekly, barely a drop in the ocean compared to Ronaldo's whopping $4.4 million paycheck at Al-Nassr.

Wrexham did make a play for one of Ronaldo's ex-Real Madrid squad mates. With their 2023 EFL comeback, they tried to lure Gareth Bale out of retirement.

Co-owner McElhenney confessed the club's ongoing interest in the Welsh soccer legend: "Gareth Bale is still technically available. I don't know, I made the plea last year and I'm just going to tell Gareth that the offer's still on the table," McElhenney said in June. "We'll let you off for golf whenever you need to get off. As long as you come to training once or twice a week we can figure out how to get you 10 minutes on the pitch. And the golf courses -- Wales is amongst the most beautiful countries in the world."