It is clear that the Arabs know very well that without Ronaldo in this league, many players who have big names may no longer want to go to this league, many TV channels will no longer be interested in this league, many newspapers will stop talking about this league. They are now in a situation where even if Ronaldo did not play well, they still would have no choice but to accept Ronaldo, so if Ronaldo asks for more money, they will have to accept everything Ronaldo asks for.
There will always be critics no matter how impactful a player is on a club or League. In terms of publicity, Cristiano Ronaldo brought tremendous attention to the Saudi Pro League. As usual, some people expected more from the Portuguese international. They wanted him to be more committed to the club instead of pursuing personal records.
The rumor of his departure has been prevalent in social media, but from your report, it is obvious that he is not a club but a national project. The country's leaders have recognized his influence on the World Cup history rights they have secured, and maybe they want him to continue his ambassadorial responsibility.