Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-and-a-half year deal with Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr to become the highest-paid sportsperson ever. The Portuguese superstar – who has been a free agent since his Manchester United contract was ripped up last month – will earn £173 million ($212 million) a year in the Middle East.

The full deal is believed to run over seven years in total – with Ronaldo taking on an ambassadorial role once he hangs up his boots. That means Ronaldo would pocket as much as £1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) over the course of the contract.

Ronaldo said: “I’m thrilled for new experience in a different league and a different country. The vision that Al Nassr has is very inspiring. I am very excited to join my team-mates, to help the team to achieve more success.”

Al Nassr added in a statement, “History in the making. This is a signing that will not only inspire our club to achieve even greater success but inspire our league, our nation and future generations, boys and girls to be the best version of themselves. Welcome @Cristiano to your new home.”

Ronaldo is understood to have undergone the first part of his medical and will complete the second stage in Riyadh in the coming days. Ronaldo had been heavily linked with a move to Saudi ever since his Man United deal was terminated following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

Ronaldo initially distanced himself from a move to the Middle East as he wanted play in the Champions League this season. And during his interview with Morgan, Ronaldo confirmed he had previously turned down £3 million per week to play in Saudi.

When pressed on how difficult it was to turn down a figure that high, he then added: “It’s hard. It’s hard. But in the same way, I thought that I was very happy here; that I [am] still capable to score goals and make people happy. I still believe that I can score many, many goals and help the team because I still believe that I’m still good and capable to help national team – even Manchester United.”

And Al-Nassr have now confirmed Ronaldo has put pen to paper, with reports in Saudi Arabia stating he has signed on a two-year deal. The Saudi Pro League club announced his arrival in a tweet saying: “The world’s greatest athlete officially signed for Al-Nassr.”

Ronaldo said, “But if you don’t feel around you that the energy’s on your side, it’s difficult. Of course, the criticism is gonna exist all the time. Ah he’s 37, he’s not the same. But I want to see if some guy of my age maintain the level that I show. You’re not gonna teach me that. Nobody is gonna teach me that.”

However, following a challenging World Cup, which saw Ronaldo dropped to the bench by Portugal for their shock exit to Morocco, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has changed his mind.

Al Nassr, who have also been linked with a move for Ronaldo’s ex-Real Madrid team-mate Sergio Ramos, currently sit second in the Saudi Pro League table after seven wins from their opening 10 games. And Ronaldo will be ready to hit the ground running having returned to training with former club Real Madrid to stay fit while he sorted his future.

Ronaldo’s last match came as a second-half substitute in Portugal’s quarter-final defeat to Morocco in Qatar. Despite his 38th birthday coming up in January, he seems set to continue with the national team until Euro 2024. That is despite a difficult season so far – with just three goals for United in 16 appearances. He then managed just one more at the World Cup before being dropped for the knockout stages.

But Ronaldo’s form was positive earlier this year when he bagged a number of goals to finish with a tally of 24 for the 2021/22 campaign.

Ronaldo has been a free agent after leaving United in the wake of his damning and controversial interview with Piers Morgan. His decision to move to Saudi Arabia effectively ends his career at the top level. It is thought Ronaldo had been hoping to secure a switch to a Champions League club but it never materialised.

Part of his role as an ambassador will be to help Saudi Arabia’s joint bid with Egypt and Greece to host the 2030 World Cup, it has been claimed. He joins arch rival Lionel Messi in taking up a promotional position with the gulf nation, which has faced criticism for its human rights record, as well as crackdowns on women’s rights activists, LGBTQ+ people and those who speak out against the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

• A Tell / Daily Mail / The Sun report