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Al Nassr will be looking to move on from its disappointing year that ended on a trophyless note. Attention has turned towards next season, with bolstering the squad remains the main agenda for Luis Castro’s side. While key names from Europe are already linked up, their skipper Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly urging to sign free agent David De Gea.
The request comes as quite surprising, considering that the former Manchester United goalkeeper has seen action for over a year now since he left Old Trafford. This latest report comes from renowned journalist Graeme Bailey and was compiled by @X99i3 on X. Notably, this isn’t the first time De Gea has been linked with the Knights of the Najd. After leaving the Red Devils, Al Nassr and their fellow Saudi Arabian rivals were also interested in bringing the goalkeeper. However, it was reported that the Spaniard himself rejected the advances.
However, now it seems the rumors have surfaced again, with this time, even Cristiano Ronaldo looking to spearhead the negotiations. The Portuguese superstar, who has shared a locker room with the former Atletico Madrid man during a second spell at United, may personally ask the goalkeeper to follow in his footsteps to the Middle East. While no transfer fee is required to pay, a lucrative contract will also do the trick to lure him. Either way, he certainly would be a great signing for Al Nassr, given their current goalkeepers aren’t keeping up with their level.
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While regular starter Nawaf Al-Aqidi earlier got a 5-month suspension, former Arsenal star David Ospina hasn’t impressed many at the club. However, a question surfaces as to whether Al Nassr would be allowed to negotiate with De Gea, considering they reportedly received a snub from the recruitment committee.
Cristiano Ronaldo suffered a major roadblock in their pursuit of transfer targets
According to various reports, Al Nassr was forced to terminate discussions with potential foreign transfer targets. This decision stemmed from the failure of the recruitment committee to provide the transfer team with information regarding the budget for the upcoming window. This development undoubtedly disappointed the Al Nassr supporters, particularly given the earlier speculation linking Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. with players such as Casemiro and Kevin De Bruyne.
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via Reuters
Soccer Football – Saudi Pro League – Al Shabab v Al Nassr – Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – February 25, 2024 Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Anderson Talisca during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Stringer
Additionally, the club will soon need to venture into the transfer market to address the departure of Aymeric Laporte, who is keen to make a return to Europe. Although this shouldn’t affect their recent interest in David De Gea, considering that he is available for free, salary and other variables need consideration as well. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how quickly they resolve this, as time is of the essence in order to maintain a strong footing in the new season.