Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr are targeting the Saudi Pro League title this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s desire for success seemingly knows no bounds even after his move to Saudi Arabia. The Al-Nassr striker, who has seven goals in eight club games this season, is reportedly making a huge new demand to his bosses in a bid to boost their title hopes.
Ronaldo, 39, already has former Premier League stars Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte as team-mates, but has thus far failed to win a league title in the Middle East since his explosive move from Manchester United in January 2023.
And the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is now said to want another English top-flight star alongside him in what would be a seismic transfer.
According to the Mirror, the all-time great wants his club to make an audacious push to sign Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City. The Belgian midfielder, widely considered one of the greatest players to have graced the Premier League, is out of contract this summer.
City boss Pep Guardiola has continuously insisted that talks are planned for an extended deal for his playmaker. But at 33, and increasingly injury prone, speculation is mounting that the 2024/25 campaign will be his last in Manchester.
The six-time Premier League winner currently earns £375,000-a-week, with the likes of Al-Nassr among the few clubs worldwide capable of matching such a deal. And Ronaldo is said to be pressing for De Bruyne to be offered a £1million-a-week deal in the hope he will be unable to refuse.
And the previous noises made by the star will only have served to encourage ‘CR7’ and co. He’s openly admitted he would be tempted by the money on offer in Saudi, and refused to rule out a move away next summer.
De Bruyne missed five months of the 2023/24 campaign with a hamstring injury, but did play a pivotal role in the season finale as City retained their title. He’s currently back on the sidelines after being forced off in the Champions League game with Inter Milan last month.
Guardiola has since refused to put a timeframe on his return. However, he has confirmed the star will miss Saturday’s home game with Fulham at the Etihad as City look to respond to two successive draws.
“From experience, long injuries, after them you have to be careful,” he said this week. “He had surgery and was five months out. When that happens, the body becomes unbalanced. He cannot play every three days. He decides for himself what is best and people have to understand it.”
De Bruyne has made 388 appearances for City since signing in 2015, scoring 103 times. He’s also won 107 caps at international level and has captained his country since the retirement of Eden Hazard in March last year.
