Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Al Nassr, both as a player and as a club shareholder, could reportedly hinge on how the club resolves its ongoing financial oversight crisis. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s long-term future at Al Nassr, whether as a player or in an administrative capacity, could reportedly be in doubt if the club’s ongoing financial oversight issues aren’t resolved, according to Saad Al-Sabaie, a former legal department manager at Al Nassr and sports law specialist. The financial oversight issue isn’t new — Al Nassr have spent much of the summer working to secure approval from Saudi authorities just to reinforce the squad. But Al-Sabaie’s comments suggest the situation carries broader implications than just transfer activity, extending to how the club manages its existing commitments, including Ronaldo’s own contract and equity stake. Under restrictions imposed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Al Nassr have been barred from registering new signings until they can demonstrate sufficient funds through sponsorships or other revenue streams. One more shift, then we fly ✈️💛 pic.twitter.com/Z3LqZELUWm— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) September 3, 2026 The Saudi Pro League’s Financial Control Committee has already refused to approve contract renewals for 18 youth players, while renewals for first-team figures like Abdulrahman Ghareeb and goalkeeper Raghed Al-Najjar have also reportedly faced delays. Ronaldo’s ownership stake in the club Ronaldo’s situation adds another layer to the club’s financial complexity. Beyond his playing contract, which runs through 2027, the Portuguese forward holds an ownership stake of around 15% to 20% in Al Nassr following a deal struck alongside his last contract extension in June 2025. With the PIF reportedly exploring the sale of a majority stake in the club to new investors as part of the broader restructuring, how that process plays out could shape not just Ronaldo’s future on the pitch, but his role in the club’s ownership structure going forward.
Dundee United have signed Iraq midfielder Zidane Iqbal from Utrecht, with manager Jim Goodwin hailing him as a player of "real pedigree" who "is off the back of a successful World Cup". The 23-year-old, who came through the youth ranks with Manchester United, had a year left of his contract with the Dutch club and has signed for two years with the Tannadice club, with an option of another 12 months. "We feel he adds something different and can occupy different positions within our midfield ranks," Goodwin told his club website.
Ghareeb has already reached an agreement to remain with the Saudi giants, but there is still one major hurdle standing between that agreement and its official completion. Cristiano Ronaldo and Abdulrahman Ghareeb could have very different reasons to attract attention at Al-Nassr as the club continues to navigate a complicated transfer window. Ghareeb has already reached an agreement to remain with the Saudi giants, but there is still one major hurdle standing between that agreement and its official completion. The 29-year-old winger has previously rejected interest from domestic rivals and made his preference to stay in Riyadh clear. Now, Al-Nassr must resolve a situation involving multiple moving pieces before it can finally secure Ghareeb’s future, adding another layer of intrigue to an already difficult summer for the club. Ghareeb’s previous contract expired at the end of last season, but Al-Nassr had already reached an agreement with the 29-year-old over a new three-year deal. The extension was reportedly worth around $8 million, or approximately $2.6 million per season, yet the club was unable to immediately register the new contract because of its financial situation. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Saudi Pro League’s financial control committee rejected Al-Nassr’s request to register Ghareeb’s contract. A subsequent request was also rejected, even after the club received approval to sign Portuguese midfielder Samu Costa from Mallorca. Samu Costa and Mohamed Simakan of team Al Nassr That has left the Saudi international in an unusual position. He has agreed to stay, but without registration before the summer transfer window closes, he could technically leave Al-Nassr as a free agent. Two transfers hold the key The situation has now taken another turn, with reports indicating that Ghareeb’s renewal has been approved but remains conditional on two linked transfers. According to Nawaf STATS on X (formerly Twitter), the first requirement is for Al Ahli to complete the signing of Saeed Baatiah. The second is for Al Fateh to complete the signing of Ali Al Hassan as part of the wider agreement. Only when both moves are completed will Ghareeb’s renewal be fully finalized. The chain of transfers is essentially designed to create the financial room Al-Nassr needs to complete the registration. The arrangement underlines how complicated the club’s financial situation has become. Al-Nassr is relying on one transfer to help facilitate another, with Ghareeb’s future ultimately tied to the completion of deals involving Baatiah and Al Hassan. Abdulrahman Ghareeb of Al Nassr celebrates after scoring Baatiah move could unlock the situation The first part of the chain has reportedly progressed, with Baatiah’s move to Al Ahli described as completed in recent updates. Asharq Al-Awsat reported on the development, potentially bringing Al-Nassr one step closer to resolving Ghareeb’s situation. The next piece is Al Hassan’s transfer to Al Fateh. Once that move is completed, the conditions surrounding Ghareeb’s renewal should finally be satisfied, allowing Al-Nassr to officially register the winger. For the club, getting the deal over the line would be significant. The 29-year-old winger remains a valuable member of the squad and has already demonstrated his importance during major continental competition. Ghareeb joined Al-Nassr from Al Ahli in 2022 and has remained a regular contributor since arriving in Riyadh. His situation became particularly notable last winter when both Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad showed interest, but the winger ultimately chose to remain with Al-Nassr. He was also one of the club’s standout performers during the previous AFC Champions League Two campaign. Ghareeb helped the club reach the final, although Al-Nassr ultimately suffered a narrow defeat to Japan’s Gamba Osaka.
A fresh decision by Saudi soccer authorities has created an unusual problem for the reigning Saudi Pro League champion, leaving supporters wondering how the club will navigate the latest setback. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Al-Nassr is facing an increasingly difficult situation away from the pitch, with financial restrictions now affecting the club far beyond its star-studded first team. A fresh decision by Saudi soccer authorities has created an unusual problem for the reigning Saudi Pro League champion, leaving supporters wondering how the club will navigate the latest setback. The restrictions have already complicated contract renewals and squad management, but the latest development has brought the academy into the spotlight. With 18 youth players affected by the decision, Al-Nassr has been forced to find an extraordinary solution to maintain sufficient squad numbers. The Saudi Pro League Financial Control Committee has refused to approve the renewal of contracts for 18 youth players, according to Arab News. Eight of those players reportedly had mandatory renewal clauses, making the decision particularly significant for an academy that serves as an important pathway toward the senior team. The problem stems from Al-Nassr’s wider financial difficulties, with the club’s debts reportedly exceeding SAR 800 million ($213 million). The financial pressure has resulted in tighter oversight of the club’s operations, with restrictions affecting registrations, renewals and other squad-related decisions. Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr. Al-Nassr forced into extreme solution The impact has now become impossible to ignore. Al-Nassr has reportedly been forced to field players as young as 16 to fill squad numbers, demonstrating just how deeply the financial restrictions have reached. For a club competing at the highest level of Saudi soccer and featuring Ronaldo, the situation is extraordinary. Young players who would ordinarily be given more time to develop can now find themselves pushed into competitive environments earlier than expected because the club cannot freely renew contracts within its youth structure. The decision also shows that the financial oversight is not limited to Ronaldo’s first-team squad. The committee’s control extends across the club, meaning even academy operations remain affected while Al-Nassr works to resolve its outstanding financial obligations. Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al Nassr FC celebrates scoring How did Al-Nassr reach this point? The club’s financial problems have been building after several seasons of aggressive spending. Heavy investment in international players, substantial wage commitments and expensive squad-building projects contributed to liabilities reportedly surpassing SAR 800 million. The Public Investment Fund has responded by introducing stronger financial supervision at the club. Measures have included restricting certain executive spending powers, bringing in independent financial and legal advisers, and demanding greater attention to revenue generation and cost control. The Saudi Pro League has also introduced broader financial regulations for the 2026-27 season. Clubs are limited to allocating no more than 75% of their revenues toward the first team, with the remaining resources intended to support youth development, infrastructure and other areas of the organization. The academy issue comes after Al-Nassr experienced difficulties with senior squad contracts as well. Reports have indicated that renewals involving Abdulrahman Ghareeb and goalkeeper Raghed Al-Najjar have faced delays or rejection while the financial oversight remains in place.
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