Could Cristiano Ronaldo really have come to the United States?
It appears that one Major League Franchise came close before Ronaldo headed for Saudi Arabia, but it wasn't one that comes first to mind: Sporting Kansas City.
The Wizards reportedly were the one MLS team with a concrete offer on the table, and the package appeared to be in the ballpark of Al-Nassr's, according to ESPN's Taylor Twellman.
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MLS insider Tom Bogert also noted that Kansas City had his discovery rights, which is a clause in MLS that allows a team priority in signing a player over another MLS-based franchise.
Sporting Kansas City is owned by investing group Sporting Club, comprising five principals. Clifford Illig, a billionaire, is the headliner. In 2015, the group had been linked to a purchase of English Premier League's Everton for north of $340 million, but Robb Heineman, one of the principals, shut the rumors down while keeping doors open for the future.
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Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes joined the ownership group in 2021.
Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez were two other marquee football icons linked to potential MLS moves, but the former appears close to a contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain while the latter signed with Brazilian side Gremio.
