Al-Nassr Club Cristiano Ronaldo Ready to Join Manchester United after contract termination from Al-Nassr— But Only If Three Serious Conditions Are Met
Cristiano Ronaldo is heading toward a major showdown with the Saudi Pro League after officials permitted Karim Benzema to join Al-Nassr’s main championship rivals.
Ronaldo is reportedly livid about what he sees as inadequate investment in Al-Nassr and didn’t feature in their narrow 1-0 victory – courtesy of Sadio Mané’s strike – against Al-Riyadh on Monday, which pulled them within just one point of league leaders Al-Hilal, who could only manage a draw.
The Portuguese superstar was completely absent from the squad, with reports suggesting he’d declined to play due to his ongoing disagreement, which had temporarily blocked the Benzema transfer.
The move to Al-Hilal – from fellow Saudi powerhouse Al-Ittihad – is now proceeding after Benzema’s contract termination, but it’s raised serious questions about Ronaldo’s long-term future in Saudi Arabia.
What happens next remains uncertain – how this situation will be settled, how far Ronaldo will push his protests, and whether he’ll face any financial penalties. The saga has created massive turmoil throughout the SPL.
Interestingly, all three clubs involved are owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns Newcastle United, and which had originally approved Benzema’s transfer.
The 38-year-old French striker’s Al-Ittihad contract expires in June, with the Jeddah-based team trying to free up squad space and financial resources to potentially pursue Mohamed Salah if he departs Liverpool this summer. N’Golo Kanté is also expected to leave Al-Ittihad for Turkish side Fenerbahce.
Benzema, who’s agreed to an 18-month contract, was eager to join Al-Hilal and rejected Al-Ittihad’s contract renewal offer. People close to Benzema claim he considered the financial terms “insulting”, though Saudi sources maintain they made a “generous offer” but couldn’t reach an agreement.
Benzema, who previously played alongside Ronaldo at Real Madrid, had already pulled himself from Al-Ittihad’s squad and been training alone while preparing for his deadline-day transfer.
Sources indicate Ronaldo is frustrated that Al-Hilal have been permitted to strengthen with Benzema’s arrival while Al-Nassr haven’t received similar backing. These two clubs dominate Saudi football, having claimed 19 league championships between them.
However, senior officials have emphasized that Al-Nassr have enjoyed substantial investment, particularly evident in Ronaldo’s incredibly lucrative deal.
They maintain that everything’s been handled properly and the Benzema situation hasn’t been treated differently than any other transfer – though allowing such a move to a direct rival is admittedly uncommon.
The Portuguese icon, who celebrates his 41st birthday Thursday, moved to Al-Nassr from Manchester United in 2022, becoming football’s highest-paid player with a staggering £177m annual salary.
Ronaldo’s only silverware with Al-Nassr so far has been the Arab Club Champions Cup, but he extended his contract last June, committing himself until at least June 2027.
He’s fully embraced Saudi life and become the SPL’s public face, famously proclaiming “I belong to Saudi Arabia” when announcing his new deal.
While the other PIF-owned clubs – Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli – have all captured major honours, Ronaldo hasn’t yet claimed domestic silverware, which is clearly getting under his skin.
Ronaldo, who’s topped the scoring charts the past two campaigns, is believed to be absolutely determined to capture the Saudi league title – after finishing runner-up twice and third once – and had pushed Al-Nassr to make signings to help overtake Al-Hilal.
The forward netted his 17th goal this season last Friday, bringing his career tally to 961 – leaving him just 39 shy of his 1,000-goal target.
Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in December after winning Best Middle East Player, Ronaldo stated: “You know what my goal is. I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number that you all know. I will reach that number for sure, if no injuries.”
Al-Nassr’s sole January signing has been 21-year-old Iraqi midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem, while Al-Hilal have also brought in former Arsenal defender Pablo Marí for £28m and Mohamed Meïté from Stade Rennais.
Although Al-Nassr have spent less on transfers than Al-Hilal during Ronaldo’s tenure, they’ve received comparable budgets, with much of it naturally dedicated to the forward’s wages.
Last summer, Al-Nassr acquired João Félix from Chelsea for £43.7m alongside Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich. Both signings reportedly had Ronaldo’s endorsement, with Al-Nassr also employing Portuguese CEO José Semedo and sporting director Simão, both close associates of the star.
