After ending his strike at Al-Nassr in the Saudi Professional League against the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and missing the matches against Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad, Cristiano Ronaldo will return to play with his team in the match against Al Fateh on Saturday, February 14, at Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium.
However, CR7’s presence on the team has become more significant, as the Al Nassr coach has made the renewal of his contract conditional on the Portuguese player’s permanence.
The future of his coach is in the hands of CR7
Ronaldo signed for Al Nassr in December 2022 on a contract estimated to be worth more than 200 million per year, making him the highest-paid player in the world.
His arrival in the Saudi league thrilled fans, who will be able to continue enjoying his play until 2027 following the Portuguese player’s contract renewal.
However, rumors about his possible departure in the summer transfer market after his two-game strike with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Professional League set off alarm bells for the coach. The Portuguese questioned the transfer policy of the Saudi Arabian Sovereign Wealth Fund (owner of Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad) and the delay in paying salaries to several employees and collaborators of the Saudi club.
And although this seems to have been resolved, Jorge Jesus has made a decision: Al-Riyadiyah (via OneFootball) reported that Jesus will only remain with the team if the 41-year-old captain does too.
“Jesus is said not to be discussing fresh terms until Ronaldo’s situation is clearer, and his own deal expires at the end of the current season.”
This could be a double blow, as Al Nassr would not only lose its top scorer, but also a coach who took the reins of the team before the 2025-26 season and has already racked up 24 wins in 30 games.
Meanwhile, Cristiano and Al Nassr will play Al Fateh next Saturday, February 14, at Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, but the Portuguese star will not travel to Turkmenistan for Wednesday’s Asian Champions League 2 first leg match against FK Arkadag.
Read the full article here
