Cristiano Ronaldo Reportedly Urging Al-Nassr to Secure Shock Transfer of Man City Midfielder
Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be encouraging his current club, Al-Nassr, to pursue a transfer for Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic. The Croatian international, 30, made the switch to City from Chelsea last summer in a deal valued at around £25 million plus additional fees.
In his first season with Manchester City, Kovacic helped secure the Premier League title, marking his first in English football. He also played a significant role in leading City to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the FA Cup final, making 46 appearances and netting three goals across all competitions.
Kovacic began this season strongly, scoring against his former club Chelsea in the opening fixture. However, with Ilkay Gundogan’s return from Barcelona, speculation around Kovacic’s future at City has emerged. Despite the transfer rumors, Kovacic remained at the Etihad as the summer window closed.
Al-Nassr had aimed to sign Kovacic as a marquee acquisition before the summer deadline but was unable to finalize the deal due to roster limitations. Saudi Pro League clubs can register up to eight international players per match, with an additional slot for a foreign player born in Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr was unable to free up space by offloading players such as Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca, which halted the move.
Ronaldo, who played alongside Kovacic at Real Madrid during their three consecutive Champions League triumphs from 2016 to 2018, has reportedly been advocating for his former teammate’s transfer to Al-Nassr. Additionally, Kovacic’s former Croatian teammate, Marcelo Brozovic, is already at the Saudi club.
Although the summer move fell through, CBS reports that Al-Nassr remains interested in bringing Kovacic in during the January transfer window. Kovacic is currently under contract with Manchester City for another three years.
