Cristiano Ronaldo does not have a clause in his contract which could see him move to Newcastle United on loan if they qualify for the Champions League, Ben Jacobs has confirmed.

What's the word?

Ronaldo recently joined Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, and given the Saudi links to PIF, there was speculation that the Portuguese superstar had a clause which would enable him to join the Magpies on loan if they qualified for the Champions League.

However, Jacobs has dismissed this idea completely and claimed that there is nothing linking Newcastle to Ronaldo, with the player not in Eddie Howe's plans at all.

Speaking on NUFC Matters, Jacobs reiterated that this rumour was nonsensical.

He said: "When there were all these rumours around [him signing] for Al-Nassr and there's somehow a Newcastle clause. It's absolute nonsense.

"There's nothing in Ronaldo's Al-Nassr contract that forces Newcastle, or obligates Newcastle, or names Newcastle, even, to use Ronaldo in the Champions League, but people love a headline. And actually, in Ronaldo's contract, there's only a Champions League exit clause.

"It's a generic one, and it is put in there by the player. So if any offer comes, he has the ability to trigger a clause to talk to that club and leave, but it's got absolutely nothing to do with Newcastle United.

"And I can tell you categorically that if Newcastle qualify for the Champions League, Eddie Howe is not thinking about loaning in Cristiano Ronaldo to take the glory and play in that competition."

Newcastle are signing smart

Given their newfound riches since PIF took over the club in October 2021, it could have been tempting for Newcastle to splash out on big-name superstars, but they have operated smartly instead.

Bringing in Eddie Howe as manager, improving the current players within their squad, and making smart, under-the-radar signings such as for Dan Burn and their arguable bargain for Nick Pope have helped Newcastle propel up the table with a watertight defence, and signing a 37-year-old Ronaldo would completely go against the project Howe is currently overseeing.

Although some big-money signings have arrived, they are younger, long-term players such as Alexander Isak, who were signed based on profile rather than name, and bringing in a centre-forward is definitely not a priority for the club right now, with Isak, Callum Wilson and Chris Wood all available options there at present.