According to shocking allegations, Cristiano Ronaldo has been putting pressure on Al Nassr to recruit a Manchester City player.
Al Nassr has already identified a transfer target ahead of the January window, with the summer transfer season closing on Monday.
Ronaldo is leading the club's chase.
According to James Benge, the 39-year-old has been pressing Al Nassr to acquire Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic.
On deadline day, the Saudi Pro League club was ready to give Kovacic a deal for $1 million per week.
They were hoping to make the Croatian midfielder a'marquee deadline-day' acquisition.
However, the club were unable to sell Sadio Mane, which would have generated an international spot in their roster.
However, Al Nassr is apparently planning to sign him again in the January transfer window.
Al Nassr and Ronaldo see Kovacic as a potentially 'transformative addition' to their club and want to make Man City a'sizeable' bid when the transfer window reopens in early 2025.
According to sources close to the club, the amount they were willing to pay on deadline day would have been among the highest ever paid by a Saudi team.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Mateo Kovacic celebrate Real Madrid's score. Image: Getty.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Mateo Kovacic celebrate Real Madrid's score. Image: Getty.
Al Nassr were not only willing to pay a large sum to Manchester City, but they also wanted to pay Kovacic a salary of over $65 million per year, which would have been a significant rise over what he presently makes.
Their failure to sell Mane prohibited them from initiating discussions with Manchester City.
Al Ahli, who signed Ivan Toney from Brentford, expressed interest in the former Liverpool player.
Kovacic, however, has been at the Etihad since June 2023, when he joined from Chelsea.
De Bruyne remains committed to Belgium after Euro 2024 disappointment
Kevin
De Bruyne has stressed he remains committed to Belgium, ending
speculation over his international future following their underwhelming
Euro 2024 campaign.
Belgium
were beaten 1-0 by France in the last 16 at the European Championships
in Germany, having barely scraped through a group containing Romania,
Slovakia and Ukraine.
That was De Bruyne's sixth tournament
with the Red Devils, who came closest to glory when they made the
semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup, only to again lose to France.
Many
believed the Manchester City star might retire from international
football following yet another failure to deliver silverware, but he was
included in Domenico Tedesco's squad for their opening Nations League
fixtures versus Israel and France.
Speaking at a press
conference to preview Friday's meeting with Israel – to be played behind
closed doors in Hungary – the 33-year-old reiterated his commitment to
the Red Devils.
"I want to continue with the Red Devils and
that's why I'm here," De Bruyne told reporters at Thursday's pre-match
press conference.
"The season has started well for me. It's
going to be a tough season. If there comes a time when it becomes too
much, then I'll talk to the coach.
"I'm mainly looking
ahead. I was a bit disappointed after the European Championships, but
that was for a few days and then a new season starts again."
"As
always, we want to play the best football possible. There are some new
guys and the coach wants to give them the chance to grow," De Bruyne
said.
"We are not the favourites for the Nations League in this group with France."
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