After World Champion Teammate Ditched Cristiano Ronaldo’s Path for Family, $37 Million-Rated Atletico Madrid Star Follows Suit

There are many soccer stars who believe that the grass is greener on the other side. They often face the temptation to switch clubs for better treatment and money. Now, Saudi Arabian clubs have entered the scene, and they are ready to accept talented players with open arms. Cristiano Ronaldo, who is often considered the greatest player of all time, took his stand and moved to the Saudi club Al-Nassr. However, not everyone is ready to blindly follow in his footsteps. Recently, an Atletico Madrid star claimed that he has no plans to join any Saudi club like CR7.

Surprisingly, he is not the first one to ditch the Portuguese superstar’s path. Earlier, his world-champion teammate made it clear that he wouldn’t go across miles in search of greener pastures. Let’s dive deeper and find out why the Atletico Madrid star was not willing to follow Cristiano Ronaldo.

Atletico Madrid star does not want to follow Cristiano Ronaldo

Recently, renowned Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano tweeted about Marcos Llorente‘s response to being asked about his plans to move to a Saudi club. The Spanish midfielder said, “Saudi Arabia? Temptations come from everywhere, that’s football. But when you’re comfortable at a club, happy, enjoying football… the offer somewhere else has to be incredible for you to leave a club like Atlético.”

Many top players moved to the Middle East this summer, following in CR7’s footsteps. This trend is likely to continue in the coming years, with more stars considering joining the Saudi clubs as a lot of money is involved in the transfer. However, with $37 million worth Llorente, he is comfortable and happy with his current club and he does not want to make a shift at the moment. Moreover, he would only consider a move when a huge offer came to him from the Saudi clubs. Previously, it was Antoine Griezmann who was not ready to follow the Cristiano Ronaldo path because of his family.

The 2018 world champion says a big NO to Saudi clubs

Earlier, when players passed their peak, they usually moved to clubs in North or South America or opted for clubs in Asia. Nonetheless, the emergence of Saudi Arabia has altered the dynamics of players’ transfers. Even though Saudi Arabia is a rich country, the 2018 World Cup champion, Antoine Griezmann made it clear that he would decline offers from their clubs. Moreover, the Frenchman prefers to move to the MLS instead of the Gulf country.

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Back in September, the ex-Barcelona player said, “Me in Saudi? I have a family, 3 children, it’s an important decision. My priority remains as a player to come to MLS.” Griezmann certainly made a bold decision as a soccer star. At present, he is tied to Atletico de Madrid with a contract lasting until 2026. He might begin searching for the perfect club after he bids farewell to his current one. What are your thoughts on players who do not want to join Saudi clubs? Let us know your take in the comments below.

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