Cristiano Ronaldo sees Jorge Jesus depart Al Nassr amid reports linking Pep Guardiola as replacement
worldsoccertalk.com · 2 months ago
With reports linking Pep Guardiola as the next coach, Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr announced the departure of Jorge Jesus. No sooner had Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated Al Nassrâs 2025-26 Saudi Pro League title than the club was dealt a significant blow, with Jorge Jesus confirming his departure. While reports have surfaced linking Pep Guardiola as a potential successor, Al Nassr has now officially announced the end of Jesusâs one-year tenure. Jesusâs arrival had been closely tied to Ronaldoâs own influence at the club following the forwardâs contract renewal in June, with the Portuguese coach later revealing that Ronaldoâs personal involvement was a key reason he took the job. Despite the success they achieved together, Jesusâs contract ran its course and his decision to move on appears to have been made well in advance of the final announcement. The possibility of a one-year extension had been on the table, at least from Al Nassrâs perspective. Club president Abdullah Al-Majed acknowledged âongoing attempts to convince Jorge Jesus to stay,â and a salary increase was reportedly offered as part of the renewal pitch, but no agreement was ultimately reached. Al Nassrâs official account marked the occasion with a video tribute. âHe arrived taking on the challenge⊠and he leaves us as a champion,â the club wrote, paying tribute to the SPL triumph that bookended his single season in charge. What a journey. What a chapter. đđObrigado, Mister đđŒ#ChampionStateOfMind pic.twitter.com/kVKSnRXkRXâ AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN) May 28, 2026 âThank you, Jesus, for everything you have given to your club, Al Nassr⊠And you will always remain a lover of, and beloved by, the Nassrawi fans,â the message concluded. Jesus, who has been linked with clubs including Fenerbahce, Brazilian sides and even the Portugal national team, has since indicated he will spend time in Rio de Janeiro before deciding his next move. Across his 49 games in charge, Jesus compiled a record of 40 wins, two draws and seven defeats, averaging an impressive 2.49 points per game, establishing himself as one of the most successful coaches in the clubâs history and breaking the 7-year trophy drought. Ronaldo was the driving force of that era, contributing 30 goals and five assists in 37 appearances to finish as the top scorer under the Portuguese manager. Is a Pep Guardiola arrival at Al Nassr feasible? As speculation about Jesusâs replacement gathered pace, Pep Guardiola quickly emerged as one of the headline names, having already confirmed his departure from Manchester City. Reports from Saudi newspaper Al-Youm went as far as claiming that Al Nassr had offered Guardiola an annual salary of $150 million, which would make him the highest-paid manager in the history of the sport. Speaking to Saudi media outlet Okaz, Guardiolaâs representative Josep Maria Orobitg confirmed that contact had been made but stopped well short of describing it as a serious offer: âThere was a contact a month and a half ago, just a contact, without any commitment or written offer. There was also a contact with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation about 15 days ago, but there will be no further contacts for the moment.â When pressed specifically on the reported salary figures, the representative was dismissive. âThe amount mentioned is not true,â he said, while not denying that conversations had taken place. âAt the moment, neither Al Nassr nor the Saudi Arabian Football Federation have great opportunities to sign Guardiola. Pep will not sign for any club or team right now. There are already a large number of interested clubs and teams, but all of this is being discussed for the future,â he added. Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City. With Ronaldoâs Al Nassr contract running through June 2027, only one season remains before a potential retirement announcement at age 42. Planning for the 2026-27 campaign is already underway, but landing Guardiola as the clubâs next head coach appears to be a far more co
