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Months After Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Move, Ex-Teammate Thrashes 21YO’s Saudi Move With a 1-Word Comment

Published 08/24/2023, 8:43 AM EDT

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Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a trendsetter. The Portuguese superstar forged an alternative path for players following his move to Al Nassr to play in the Saudi Pro League. While fans and experts questioned Ronaldo’s decision to move to the Middle East. It seems like months later; the move has acted like a spark igniting a wave of transfers to Saudi Arabia.

Superstars such as Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr., Sadio Mane amongst others have all followed Cristiano Ronaldo joining different SPL outfits. While fans were expecting veterans in the closing phases of their careers to move to the Middle East. Someone young and in their prime leaving European competition hasn’t down well this window. With the same formulae in play, another name joins the list with multiple fans, including an ex-teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, slamming the youngster for walking away from European competition.

Toni Kroos slams Gabri Viega’s move to Saudi Pro League

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Celta Vigo’s Gabri Viega has been one of the top emerging talents in La Liga. The nineteen-year-old has impressed everyone with his performances and has been on the radar of big clubs such as Barcelona, Napoli, and RB Leipzig. However, in a surprising turn of events, the player decided to ditch European competition by making a switch to the Saudi Pro League.

Soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano recently took to Instagram to announce the move. He confirmed that Celta Vigo had come to terms with Saudi side Al Ahli over a transfer for Gabri Viega. The player has also agreed to personal terms and will complete his medical soon. Following the announcement, fans expressed surprise at the move. Viega has been a big emerging prospect and his move to Saudi made no sense according to them.

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While there have been speculations about the player making the switch for a big money deal. Cristiano Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate and German icon Toni Kroos commented on Fabrizio’s post, calling the move embarrassing.

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The move has come off as a massive surprise to many with the youngster leaving behind Champions League football. Fans are worried that if Saudi Arabia continues offering players big-money deals, they could destroy the soccer ecosystem.

Nevertheless, the role of Ronaldo acting as a catalyst for these transfers cannot be overstated.

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Cristiano Ronaldo continues to attract big names to Saudi Arabia

There is no denying the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo has been the beacon for the Saudi Arabian transfers. The player’s move to Al Nassr opened the floodgates with multiple European superstars, making the switch to the Middle Eastern league.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s side has reportedly confirmed a deal with Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte with the player posting a farewell message for the City fans. This marquee signing is on the back of several top-level soccer stars moving to Saudi Arabia this summer. The Middle Eastern nation aims to reduce the disparity between European soccer and its league as it looks to achieve parity with the top clubs and leagues. If players continue to migrate to the Saudi Pro League at this alarming pace, we could see UEFA take some serious action in hopes of preserving European soccer.

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What do you make of Kroos’ comments aimed at the sensational transfer of Viega? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Saurabh Saket

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Saurabh Saket is a soccer writer at EssentiallySports. While Saket has been a football fan for a while, his passion for the sport stems from FIFA 17 which featured Borussia Dortmund superstar Marco Reus on its cover. With dreams of standing as a part of the Yellow Wall at Signal Iduna Park, Saket loves to write about the game from a fan’s perspective giving his take on recent happenings.
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Edited by:

Amal Joyce