Europa League finalists Bayer Leverkusen keen on signing Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer – reports

German champions Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly eyeing a significant move this summer by pursuing Cristiano Ronaldo, as per Saudi journalist Mutab Bin Abdullah, Soccernet.football reports.

Fresh off their maiden Bundesliga triumph, Die Werkself are eager to bolster their squad during the upcoming transfer window to prepare for next season’s challenges.

Ronaldo, one of the greatest players in the game’s history, has received an endorsement from manager Xabi Alonso, who is pushing for the club to secure the services of the Al-Nassr superstar.

Abdullah’s tweet stated: “German club Bayer Leverkusen, upon the recommendation of coach Alonso, wants to sign a contract with #Al-Nassr player and the best player in the world #Cristiano_Ronaldo.”

Despite Ronaldo’s advanced age of 39, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner remains a potent force in attack, as evidenced by his prolific performances in Saudi Arabia.

The former Manchester United star boasts 41 goals and 12 assists from 40 matches across all competitions, including four hat-tricks in the Saudi Pro League, where he leads as the top scorer with 32 goals.

Ronaldo’s potential addition to Bayer Leverkusen could significantly boost their chances, especially in the UEFA Champions League, where he holds the record for most goals with 140. Leverkusen aim to advance to the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition for the first time since 2017.

The newly-minted Bundesliga champions progressed to the final of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night after edging past AS Roma on a 4-2 aggregate victory.

They are also in the final of the DFB Pokal while boasting an unbeaten record of 49 games – the highest in European football history.

All these Leverkusen have achieved by displaying a never-say-die spirit while possessing reliable goal scorers within their squad, including Victor Boniface with 19 goals and Patrik Schick with 12.

It would be a perfect platform for Ronaldo to flourish.

Despite Leverkusen’s interest, Ronaldo remains under contract at Al-Nassr, which means Leverkusen would need to negotiate a transfer fee with the Riyadh-based club.

Ronaldo’s current contract extends until the summer of 2025, with one more year remaining, following his free transfer to Al-Nassr in December 2022.