Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Abdulrahman Ghareeb learns fate as Al-Nassr renewal hinges on two deals
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.
