Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar has said Cristiano Ronaldo tried to talk him out of leaving Al Nassr, following the Portuguese star’s arrival at the Saudi club.
The 31-year-old, who had six months left on his Al Nassr contract, was fully aware that a foreign player would have to be sacrificed for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Despite the former Man United and Real Madrid star attempt to stop him from leaving, Aboubakar opted for a return to Turkish side Besiktas by signing a two and a half years in January.
“We talked a bit and his [Cristiano’s] opinion was that he wanted me to stay – I told him no, that I will leave for family reasons,” Aboubakar told Talents d’Afrique on Canal+.
“He asked me where my family was, I told him they are in France and so I prefer to go to Turkey, it’s closer.
“And he told me ‘it’s better, if your family is really far away, it’s more complicated’. I was firm, I wanted to leave.”-BBC