Cristiano Ronaldo may reconcile with a former colleague following the Chelsea star's transfer sorrow.
Hakim Ziyech's plans to leave Chelsea for Al Nassr were dashed last week when he failed a medical with the Saudi Pro League club.
Cristiano Ronaldo will not be lining up with Hakim Ziyech in Saudi Arabia next season, but he may be joined by one of his international teammates.
This summer, amid an exodus of players to the Middle East, Chelsea midfielder Ziyech was scheduled to join Al Nassr in a £17 million move. The transfer was called off at the last minute when a routine test revealed an ongoing knee injury, putting the Moroccan star in limbo as he attempts to rebuild his club career.
Former colleagues N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, and Kalidou Koulibaly, as well as Wolves standout Ruben Neves, have already won deals to the Middle East. However, Al Nassr will now focus their attention to another Premier League player, which is likely to satisfy their star player.
According to CBS Sports, Bernardo Silva is now the major target for the 2022/23 league runners-up. The Public Investment Fund is expected to spearhead negotiations, with Ronaldo's participation serving as a big enticement.
Both have long been teammates for Portugal, and they both began the recent 1-0 Euro 2024 qualifying triumph in Iceland. And, at 28, the playmaker is still in his prime, which would be a great coup for the game in Saudi Arabia.
Silva has spent six seasons in Manchester and was instrumental in the club's treble last season under Pep Guardiola. He scored twice in the first half of the Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid to set up a 4-0 triumph, and he now has 55 goals and 306 games for the club.
Guardiola, on the other hand, is likely to be hesitant to sanction any departure, given that club captain Ilkay Gundogan has already joined Barcelona on a free transfer. And, after missing out on Declan Rice, the 82-cap international is certain to play a key role in the upcoming season if he stays at the Etihad.
Indeed, Sky commentator Jamie Carragher recently reacted to Silva's link to Saudi Arabia by urging Premier League executives to take action and halt possible big-money deals. The star's current deal with City expires in the summer of 2025.
"Bernardo Silva is at his peak and has been one of the best players in Europe for the last five years!" Carragher took to Twitter. "I wasn't concerned about the Saudi League taking players in their 30s, but I was concerned about players below the elite (Neves)," he said.
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