Saudi journalist says Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Al Nassr in January transfer window

Saud Al-Sarami, a Saudi journalist, said Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Al Nassr during the January transfer window, a comment made a day after Al Nassr’s 4-0 AFC Champions League Elite group-stage defeat by Al Ain.

Everything appeared to be going well for Ronaldo and Al Nassr as they headed into the summer break. The 41-year-old led the team to its first Saudi Pro League victory since 2019 and scored 28 goals in 30 league games the previous season. The summer transfer window, however, did not progress as expected: the club faced financial restrictions and completed only one key signing, Samu Costa. Ronaldo had previously expressed frustration with the club’s transfer passivity and staged a weeks-long strike last season to protest club policies, a move described in coverage as a red flag for his future at the club.

Saud Al-Sarami, described in reports as a notable Saudi Arabian journalist, offered a blunt assessment of Ronaldo’s standing at Al Nassr and forecasted his January departure. He said: "Cristiano has become a spent force for Al Nassr, and I believe he will leave during the winter transfer window." Fans have already begun to speculate on the forward’s next destination following Al-Sarami’s comments.

The 4-0 reverse to Al Ain was Ronaldo’s heaviest defeat since he was a Manchester United player beaten 4-0 by Brentford in August 2022. That result left the Saudi Pro League champions with only one win in their past four matches, according to the coverage. The loss came in the AFC Champions League Elite group stage.

Reports noted Sporting CP as the most reasonable option among the destinations being discussed by supporters and commentators. Coverage suggested that a return to the club where he began his professional career would represent an appropriate end point for Ronaldo’s career. According to Saud Al-Sarami, the striker has become discontented with Al Nassr’s transfer activity, citing the club’s single summer signing.

Al-Sarami’s prediction frames the January transfer window as a likely turning point for Ronaldo’s time at Al Nassr and was issued a day after the club’s 4-0 AFC Champions League Elite group-stage defeat by Al Ain.