Cristiano Ronaldo linked with a shock move to Champions League club ahead of next season

Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a shock move to a Champions League club this summer.

When Ronaldo departed Manchester United by mutual consent in November 2021 and made a pioneering move to the Saudi Pro League, it appeared that the forward’s career in Europe had come to an end.

Ronaldo has been as prolific as ever in Saudi Arabia, with a hat-trick in his latest outing for Al Nassr against Al Wehda taking him to 47 goals for the season in 46 appearances in all competitions.

And, according to reports, the 39-year-old’s continued relentlessness in front of goal has caught the attention of Europe’s most in-form side.

According to journalist Alhazza Mutab, Ronaldo has attracted the interest of Bayer Leverkusen.

Indeed, the newly crowned Bundesliga champions, who miraculously remain on course for an unbeaten season in all competitions, allegedly want to sign the five-time Ballon d’Or winner this summer.

Ronaldo has allegedly been recommended by Leverkusen’s manager Xabi Alonso, who played alongside the attacker when the pair were at Real Madrid.

Ronaldo and Alonso were teammates at Real Madrid (Getty)

Whether Ronaldo would be open to a return to Europe is uncertain, with the player having talked up the standard of the Saudi Pro League since his move there.

Back in January, when asked where the level of the Saudi top tier is, Ronaldo responded: "To be honest I think the Saudi League is not worse than French league, in my opinion.

"In [the] French league I think you have two, three teams with a good level. In Saudi now I think it's more competitive. They can say whatever they want, it's just my opinion and I played there one year so I know what I'm talking about.

"But I think right now we are better than [the] French league, we still improve."