Cristiano Ronaldo risks £15m loss that could impact Man United takeover hopes
Cristiano Ronaldo purchased a stake in a Spanish second-tier side last month but this could potentially dampen his previously hinted interest in Manchester United ownership
Cristiano Ronaldo has taken his first steps into football club ownership(Image: Getty)
Cristiano Ronaldo risks losing money on his investment in Almeria should they fail to secure promotion this season, according to a football finance expert. Such a financial blow could even potentially discourage him from pursuing a stake in Manchester United in future.
Portuguese icon Ronaldo ventured into club ownership for the first time late last month, acquiring a 25 per cent stake in second-division outfit Almeria through his company CR7 Sports Investments.
The 41-year-old has joined an existing ownership structure headed by Saudi investor Mohamed Al-Khereiji, who assumed control of the club in 2025. Almeria are currently battling for promotion to La Liga.
If they fail to achieve top-flight status for next season, the Al-Nassr forward could see his investment decline in value and potentially lose millions, it has been suggested. This setback might affect his ambitions to become a shareholder at Old Trafford.
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Speaking to OLBG, football finance expert Professor Rob Wilson said: “Almeria is a less conventional investment and it comes across more as a strategic brand opportunity for Cristiano Ronaldo.
“From a football finance perspective, in particular, minority stakes rarely deliver meaningful short-term cash returns so he’s going to be looking at a long-term upside through commercial expansion of the club and global visibility he can articulate with his brand.
“Ronaldo’s off-the-field empire expands through hospitality and media so the stake isn’t going to materially shift his earnings in the short-term and probably not in the medium term either. Realistically, short impact on Ronaldo’s wider business empire, will sit up to £5m annually.
“It’s relative to his off-the-field earnings which are in the hundreds of millions per year. Ronaldo could certainly suffer an initial loss. We know football clubs are volatile so if the club fails to control its costs and secure promotion to LaLiga, the valuation of the club could stagnate or fall.
“The downside is a loss of up to 30 per cent in enterprise value so his 25 per cent holding would decline proportionately. If we assume his stake in the club is worth £50million, then his loss could be £10million to £15million depending on the severity.”
Previously, Ronaldo has suggested that purchasing shares in United might feature in his plans. Notably, at the 2024 Dubai Globe Soccer Awards he imagined himself in ownership.
“The problem is not always the coach. It’s much more than that. If I will be the owner of the club, I will make things clear and adjust things that are bad there,” he said.
Whilst Ronaldo’s Almeria venture could yield returns, should they fail to achieve promotion and his shareholding decreases in worth, this might derail any aspirations he holds to invest in United at some point.
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