Cristiano Ronaldo will unlikely be the last big-money signing at Al-Nassr in the near future.
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to have a huge influence on Al-Nassr’s transfers (Image: GETTY)
Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly already using his pull at Al-Nassr to demand the Saudi club try and sign his former club team-mate and compatriot Pepe. Ronaldo officially joined Al-Nassr this week in a record-breaking deal with some reports stating he could be earning around £160million-a-year.
It’s already been a whirlwind start for the 37-year-old from mistaking Saudi Arabia for South Africa in his official unveiling to his debut being delayed due to electrical issues at Al-Nassr’s stadium. He may even be prevented from making his debut for a few weeks due to his two-match ban from the English FA for smashing an Everton fan’s phone.
But Ronaldo has also had a strong impact on Al-Nassr’s social media presence with their Instagram account growing to nearly 10 million followers. And he may have even more of an impact on the squad as a whole in the coming years for the duration of his time in Saudi Arabia.
According to Marca, Ronaldo has ‘already held conversations’ with Al-Nassr officials on their next move in the transfer market. The likes of Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos and N’Golo Kante are being linked to the Saudi outfit.
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Cristiano Ronaldo has played more than 15 years with Pepe on the international stage (Image: GETTY)
But it’s being reported that Ronaldo is pushing for Al-Nassr to sign compatriot Pepe as their next transfer. Ronaldo is said to have dropped Pepe’s name in discussions with Al-Nassr officials and wants to team up with the defender one last time.
The pair spent eight years playing alongside each other at Real Madrid, winning three Champions League trophies and two La Liga titles. They’ve also shared the stage with Portugal for 15 years and both were pivotal to their European Championship success in 2016.
Pepe turns 40 next month, but he was still a regular in Portugal’s starting line-up at the World Cup and he’s maintained a similar role at Porto this season. Al-Nassr already have a number of players who previously plied their trade in Europe.
The likes of Luiz Gustavo, David Ospina, Vincent Aboubakar and Alvaro Gonzalez are current members of Al-Nassr’s squad. But the Saudi side may be limited in the amount of foreign players they can sign in the future.
According to reports, Ronaldo’s debut with Al-Nassr could be delayed with the Saudi Pro League side surpassing their foreign player quota.
“Al Nassr has not registered him yet because there is no vacancy for a foreign player,” an unnamed Al-Nassr official told AFP. “A foreign player must leave to register Ronaldo, either by selling or by terminating the contract by mutual consent.”
Source: express.co.uk
