Kyle Walker Lauds Cristiano Ronaldo for ‘Opening the Pathway’ for Players to Rich Saudi Pro League

Soon to be 34, Kyle Walker is no spring chicken. There have been no reports of Manchester City offering him a new contract beyond 2026. Hence, the veteran defender might have already started scouting other pastures. But could a move to the Roshn Saudi League be on the cards? ‘Never say never’, says the English full-back as he reveals his admiration for the league’s development following the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the ‘Vibe with Five’ podcast, Walker talked about the 2 main attractions of the RSL, the paychecks, and CR7 himself. Regarding the attractive financial compensation in Saudi, Walker said, “The money that they paying and everything like that is obviously a massive factor in why these players are going out there.” It is worth noting that the likes of CR7, Karim Benzema, and Neymar earn more than $170 million annually in Saudi Arabia! Moreover, the English fullback also credited the contribution of the 5x Ballon d’Or winner in boosting the league’s presence.

Per Walker, “I think for Ronaldo to go out there, he changed, or he opened the pathway for everyone to go there.” The Manchester City star also believes that the league is only going to get better and better for one reason.

He explains, “I think if they keep attracting the players that they’re attracting the league’s going to get better.” But for Kyle Walker, even despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo in the RSL, the Premier League reigns supreme. He added, “For me, the Premier League is definitely the best league in the world. So I want to compete at this league for as long as possible, for as high as possible before anything else.”

Despite his allegiance to the Premier League, Walker seems to be impressed by how Cristiano Ronaldo has changed the perception regarding soccer in the Middle East. He is not the only one who shares such a sentiment.

Nacho had also praised the ‘influence’ of Cristiano Ronaldo in players moving to Saudi

Real Madrid player and former teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nacho also praised CR7’s role in the recent influx of talent in Saudi Arabia. Nacho said, “Cristiano Ronaldo influenced many players to come to Saudi Arabia and play here.” Nacho was in the country to participate in the Spanish Super Cup against FC Barcelona.

Read More: Rejecting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, Kevin De Bruyne Opens Possibility of Retiring in the MLS

Real Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde also had a similar opinion. In a recent interview, the Uruguay international spoke about how much the league had grown in the last 2 years. Per him, Cristiano Ronaldo was the one who made the league more attractive to the public. However, just like Walker, Valverde too is in no hurry to move to the Middle East as he said, “I am very happy where I am.”

Is Cristiano Ronaldo the reason behind the recent popularity of the Rosh Saudi League? Tell us below.

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