Cristiano Ronaldo's £173m-a-year Saudi deal would see him dwarf the finances of LeBron James and Tom Brady

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Cristiano Ronaldo ‘£173m-a-year’ deal with Al Nassr would see him overtake Lionel Messi as world’s highest paid athlete and dwarf sports stars LeBron James and Tom Brady

Cristiano Ronaldo could soon find himself the richest sports star in the world should he sign for Al Nassr.

The Portugual forward, currently without a club, is said to have accepted an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr that would see him earn a mouthwatering £173million-a-year.

Ronaldo and Manchester United parted ways in November by mutual consent following his explosive interview with TalkTV’s Piers Morgan.

However, the 37-year-old could soon be turning out for the fifth club in his senior career.

Should he make the switch to Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo would top the list of the world’s highest paid athletes based on Forbes’ rankings in 2022.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is currently third on the list, with Forbes estimating he currently earns around £96million – at least he did before his contract was torn up – so his new deal would therefore see him earn a significant amount more.

Lionel Messi would go from first to second, with the Argentina star said to be earning £108.2million each year.

Neymar is the third and final footballer to make the lucrative list, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward on around £79.1million.

Half of those who feature in the rest of the rankings are from American sports, with four from the NBA and one from the NFL.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James would go from second to third with his £101million-a-year income, with fellow basketball stars Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks on around £77.3million, £76.7million and £67.3million respectively.

NFL star Tom Brady earns around £69.9million, tennis legend Roger Federer is on £75.5million and boxing’s Canelo Alvarez makes £74.9million-a-year.

For now, though, Ronaldo is remaining quiet on his next move, while he tries to navigate the World Cup with his nation.

No one yet knows how long he will continue to play for, but he is set to become the highest paid athlete in the world, which is another title he can add to his extensive list of accolades.