The Portuguese superstar declined to feature for Al-Nassr in their 1-0 triumph over Al-Riyadh on Monday after former Real Madrid colleague Karim Benzema’s transferred to title contenders Al-Hilal. The Frenchman, 38, left Al-Ittihad following his contract termination before joining the league leaders, who sit one point clear of Ronaldo’s team in the Saudi Pro League.
Given that Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal are all under the ownership of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Ronaldo has been incensed that a deal to secure the 2022 Ballon d’Or recipient was finalised due to the harm it inflicts on Al-Nassr’s championship aspirations.
With no certainty he’ll feature in the squad for their encounter with Al Ittihad on Friday, conjecture over whether Ronaldo’s Saudi Arabian chapter will conclude has been extensively debated. According to The Athletic, the 41-year-old possesses a £44million release clause in his deal.
“I would say no. I can’t see how that could happen. A move to MLS? Maybe. Maybe he goes back to Portugal and plays there. I’m sure he will still have so many options. The main thing is that he still wants to play in the World Cup and we would have to keep playing and making sure he keeps himself fit to do that. It’s a shock to everyone to see Ronaldo on strike but I honestly think it will get resolved. We’ll have to wait and see where it goes from here.”
Likewise, given the nature of his departure from the club, it would be somewhat of a surprise for Ronaldo to return in the immediate term, particularly in a playing capacity.
The Athletic reported that Ronaldo feels disappointed by the Al-Nassr hierarchy for not sufficiently strengthening the squad during the January transfer window. The club only managed to bring in Abdullah Al-Hamdan, a Saudi Arabia international striker, from Al Hilal, and Haydeer Abdulkareem, an Iraqi midfielder, from Al-Zawraa SC during the winter period.
The absence of marquee signings, combined with Benzema’s transfer to Al-Hilal, has reportedly left Ronaldo questioning whether the clubs owned by PIF share the same level of ambition. However, in news that may reassure Al-Nassr supporters, Ronaldo shared a photograph of himself training with the first team on Thursday.
Despite this, the club has yet to confirm whether he’ll be included in the matchday squad on Friday. Ronaldo has netted 17 goals in 18 league matches this season, with only England striker Ivan Toney finding the net more frequently (18 goals).