GOAL's Team of the European season: No spot for Salah!

Dembele: From €148m Barca flop to Ballon d'Or favourite

Arsenal ratings: Every player ranked from Gunners' season

UCL final combined XI: Dembele among eight PSG stars selected

Eight Lionesses with points to prove ahead of Euro 2025

Editors' Picks

WATCH: Son's priceless reaction as he's asked if he's better than Salah

How to buy Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Copa del Rey tickets

Scotland World Cup 2026 qualifying: Group, fixtures & results 

Santos Laguna vs Monterrey: Stream, TV & where to watch

Where to watch Ronaldo's Al-Nassr games: Stream & TV info

How to buy Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Copa del Rey tickets

Where to watch & stream live MLS games

Man Utd live stream and TV channel broadcast info

<ul><li>Watt joked about keeping potential Ronaldo transfer "under wraps"
</li><li>Comments came during celebration of Burnley's return to England's top flight
</li><li>NFL legend joined Burnley's investor group in 2023
</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

'I do like to keep our transfer plans under wraps' – Burnley minority owner J.J. Watt tongue-in-cheek teases Cristiano Ronaldo move to Turf Moor

<p>J.J. Watt sparked amused speculation among football fans after jokingly hinting that Burnley FC might target Cristiano Ronaldo in the transfer market. The former NFL star, who became a minority investor in Burnley alongside his wife Kealia in 2023, made the tongue-in-cheek remark during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
</p><p>When McAfee brought up Ronaldo’s name while discussing potential signings following Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League, Watt responded with a grin: “I don’t think so, but I do like to keep our transfer plans under wraps, so you never know. We just keep things under wraps like those teams that are flying under the radar, and then all of a sudden…”
</p>

WHAT HAPPENED

<p></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Burnley is BACK in the Premier League<br><br>Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/JJWatt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JJWatt</a> 👏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PMSLive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PMSLive</a> <a href="https://t.co/DNmF3jn2Rh">pic.twitter.com/DNmF3jn2Rh</a></p>— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1927777232073666791?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



WHAT J.J. WATT SAID

<p>Watt's involvement with Burnley represents part of a broader pattern of American athletic figures investing in European football clubs. His engagement on mainstream American sports platforms, such as <em>The Pat McAfee Show</em>, helps raise the profile of Burnley, specifically, and the Premier League generally, among American audiences.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>Burnley now face the significant challenge of building a squad capable of Premier League survival after finishing the 2024-25 Championship season as one of the best teams in recent years. While Ronaldo is unlikely to arrive at Turf Moor, the club's recruitment team should be actively working to identify realistic targets who can strengthen the squad ahead of their top-flight campaign.</p>

WHAT’S NEXT?

'I do like to keep our transfer plans under wraps' – Burnley minority owner J.J. Watt tongue-in-cheek teases Cristiano Ronaldo move to Turf Moor | Goal.com

The NFL legend playfully hinted at the possibility of signing the Portuguese superstar following the Clarets&apos; promotion to the Premier League

&apos;I do like to keep our transfer plans under wraps&apos; – Burnley minority owner J.J. Watt tongue-in-cheek teases Cristiano Ronaldo move to Turf Moor