Cristiano Ronaldo sent transfer request after buying 25 per cent stake in club

Cristiano Ronaldo has entered the world of football club ownership after buying a stake in Spanish side Almeria - and now the 41-year-old has been offered a new role

Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a step towards a new career in football by becoming a club owner, but his services as a player are still in demand. The 41-year-old Al-Nassr forward announced on Thursday that he had purchased a 25 per cent stake in Spanish club Almeria.

Ronaldo has joined a growing group of players to dip into ownership, including fellow current and former Real Madrid alumni Luka Modric, Vinicius Junior, Thibaut Courtois and Kylian Mbappe. He has put his money into Spanish second division side Almeria via CR7 Sports Investments.

"It has been a longtime ambition of mine to contribute to football, beyond the pitch," Ronaldo wrote in a statement. "UD Almeria is a Spanish club with strong foundations and clear potential for growth. I look forward to working alongside the leadership team to support the club's next phase of growth."

Almeria are third in the Spanish second division, just two points off top spot and challenging for promotion to La Liga. And manager Rubi didn't waste any time in appealing to Ronaldo to join his team after his investment was confirmed.

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"We are very happy. Obviously, we welcome him," he said. "I think it's excellent news because someone like him, with his one hundred per cent knowledge of sport and football, can help a club like ours. It's very exciting for the whole club and for the city.

"You already know the good relationship Cristiano has with the owners. One learns about some things, but I don't think it's important when I found out or stopped finding out. The important thing is that he's landing here with us. We are very happy.

"It would be extraordinary and wonderful if he could play here, but that's a question for him. This is his club and, if he wanted to continue playing, whoever the coach is, he would be received with open arms. I have no doubt about that."

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President Mohammed Al-Khereiji added: "[Ronaldo] is regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, he knows the Spanish leagues very well and he understands the potential of what we are building here both in terms of the team and the academy."

Ronaldo recently went through a sticky path at Al-Nassr, going on strike in protest at the lack of investment in the January transfer window from the owners. He has since made up with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) and is under contract with Al-Nassr until June 2027, where he's paid £177million per year - a bit beyond Almeria's budget.

"I'm very happy," Ronaldo told Saudi broadcaster Thmanyah recently. "As I say so many times, I belong to Saudi Arabia. It's a country that has welcomed me very well, and my family and my friends. I'm happy here, I want to continue here.

"The most important thing is we keep pushing [for the league title], we are there at the top. We do our job, we win, make pressure, let's see at the end of the season."

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