Valencia owner makes stance clear on Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘interest’ in buying La Liga club

Although there have been rumours that Cristiano Ronaldo is interested in buying Valencia, club owner Peter Lim has said clearly how he feels about his future with the La Liga team.

Peter Lim, the owner of Valencia, appears to have put an end to rumours that Cristiano Ronaldo would soon purchase the La Liga team. Since 2014, Lim has held the majority of Valencia’s shares.

Through the 50% ownership he purchased in Salford City the same year, the Singaporean business magnate had prior experience with English football. In 2024, Lim sold his share of the League Two team to Gary Neville, a co-owner whom he had notoriously appointed manager of Valencia ten years prior.

Ronaldo, a former Manchester United teammate of Neville’s, has reportedly expressed interest in buying Valencia from Lim. Since 2015, when Lim’s business, Mint Media, acquired some of Ronaldo’s image rights, the two have already collaborated.

In recent months, Ronaldo has been linked to buying Valencia after Spanish radio station Cope Cadena reported that Lim had informed PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi that the team was for sale. According to reports, the 71-year-old set the asking price at £340 million (€400 million).

Julian Redondo, a blogger for Mundo Deportivo, fanned speculation over Ronaldo’s potential involvement in a buyout by claiming that the Portuguese striker would be “the next owner of Valencia if they stay in La Liga.”

Lim has already expressed his disinterest in selling Valencia to the Singaporean media. By electing his son Kiat Lim as club president in March, he underscored his family’s enduring dedication to the organisation.

In reference to the choice, former Valencia president Chan Lay Hoon stated, “I am happy to pass the baton to Kiat Lim, who is the son of our major shareholder.” “This appointment is a strong affirmation of the shareholder’s (Peter’s) ongoing commitment to the club and its future.”

Regarding the reports of a potential takeover at Valencia, Ronaldo has remained silent. The forward for Al-Nassr is presently concentrating on the latter stages of his playing career. But after hanging up his boots, he was candid in February about wanting to own a club.

“Tomorrow, I turn 40 and I am still playing, enjoying football, scoring goals, and making a difference,” Ronaldo told Canal 11 in Portugal. “Obviously, I never imagined that would be possible. However, I think it has been a very lovely challenge.

“Do I still enjoy working out? I still like training, yes. Is it the same as I was twenty years ago? I still have the passion, even though it’s not the same. I still like doing things like finishing drills, competing against other people, and using my left and right feet, for instance.

Strangely, a lot of people, including my friends, say, ‘You have no life.’ Although I am aware that it will stop in a year, two, or three, I still like it and don’t give a damn.”

Ronaldo came to the following conclusion on his post-football career: “Being a coach doesn’t make sense because if I have the opportunity to be an owner, why should I be a CEO, sporting director, or coach? I’m confident that I’ll realise my dream. To be more specific, I would like to have multiple clubs rather than simply one.

Valencia, meanwhile, has had a difficult season in La Liga. After one extra game than 18th-place Leganes, Carlos Corberan’s team is seven points above the drop zone.