JEDDAH, 10 January 2007 — Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Club is getting one of the world’s most renowned soccer strikers, Brazilian superstar Ronaldo, according to a source close to the club’s management.
However, Mansour Al-Balawi, Ittihad Club president, did not name Ronaldo yesterday as he made the announcement that the team would be getting a player of the caliber of Inter Milan striker Louis Figo, who was also recently recruited.
Club sources confirmed that the new player is Ronaldo, who was recently put on Real Madrid’s transfer list because he did not lose weight during the holidays as he was told to do.
As a result, he will be sweating off the kilos in the hot sun with the boys in yellow. The three-time Brazilian FIFA World Player of the Year will put on the yellow-and-black jersey on Sunday, said the source.
Al-Balawi, who addressed a crowded press conference here, said the name of the player would be officially announced today at 5 p.m. via SMS through Jawal Al-Ittihad. “We owe that to our fans,” he said.
“I am afraid I’ll shock everyone here if I reveal his name now,” he added, as hundreds of fans who attended the conference loudly cheered.
Thirty-year-old Ronaldo was the youngest player to win the FIFA World Player of the Year. He won the award in 1996, and then again in 1997 and 2002.
But despite his glory, which included helping Brazil win the World Cup in 2002 in South Korea and Japan, Ronaldo has been facing problems with Real Madrid’s Italian coach Fabio Capello for putting on weight.
According to media reports, he was offered to AC Milan, but the Italians said: “Grazie but no grazie.”
Regarding the signing of Portuguese legend Figo, Al-Balawi refused to reveal how much was paid to Figo to wear the Al-Ittihad jersey. “I wish not to reveal the number because I want to use that as a leverage for future advertising contracts we might sign,” he said.
He said Figo’s primary contract is for 18 months. He added that the contract states that the Portuguese star must pass a medical test before playing for Ittihad in July.
Al-Balawi said that Figo would be an important asset for the club both on and off the field.
The club is entitled to all advertisement income as long as Figo wears the yellow jersey and 60 percent of advertisement income for any other contract.
Regarding Itti-Barca academy, he said that the club has received the license from the municipality to build the academy that will be located in the north of Jeddah.
He added that 10 more centers that shall serve the academy are to be built all over the city to attract talent.
