Another Saudi signing? Cristiano Ronaldo forces Al-Nassr to lure Man City player with wages of $1 million per week

According to CBS Sports sources, Al-Nassr is targeting Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic in the January transfer window with a pay package worth more than $1 million per week, aimed at securing the Manchester City midfielder. The Saudi Pro League side had hoped to make Kovacic a major signing on Monday but failed to shift Sadio Mane and create the international space needed for a player whose takeover, according to sources, is being heavily defended by Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Saudi side are also considering a move for free agent Adrien Rabiot and are awaiting interest from Turkiye in both Mane and Anderson Talisca. Currently, the Riyadh team does not have room on the roster to add another international player over the age of 21 and would have to add one of the eight foreign veterans to the squad. Any signing of Rabiot would complement Kovacic’s planned move.

Al-Nassr and their star forward Ronaldo view the Croatian midfielder as a potentially transformative addition to their team and plan to make a significant offer to City when the window opens again in early 2025. Sources close to the club indicate that the fee they were prepared to pay on deadline day would have been one of the most expensive ever paid by a Saudi club. In addition to the significant compensation they had planned to offer City, Al-Nassr had planned to offer Kovacic a salary worth around $65 million a year, around six times what he currently earns.

Ultimately, their inability to find a deal for Mane made it impossible for them to open talks with City. Senegalese international Mane had been the subject of interest from two clubs, including Al-Nassr’s rivals Al-Ahli. Both clubs are owned by the Saudi state investment fund PIF. Al-Ahli are also expected to make room in their squad for Mane and had been in talks with Al-Taawoun to send Roberto Firmino to the club. When that string of deals fell apart, so did any hope of freeing Kovacic from the Etihad Stadium.

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That news would have been a disappointment for Ronaldo, who according to sources is in favor of a transfer for the Croatian international. The two players spent three years together at Real Madrid until 2018. At the time, Kovacic was more of a prospect than a finished article, struggling for guaranteed minutes behind the likes of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.

Six years later, Kovacic has performed impressively for City so far this season, particularly excelling in the opening weekend victory over his former club Chelsea. The 30-year-old has started every game under Pep Guardiola so far, having made 16 Premier League starts last season. Whether the addition of Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri’s impending return to fitness will limit Kovacic’s first-team minutes remains to be seen, as does how City will respond to a formal proposal from Al-Nassr.

In addition, Al-Nassr is considering a move to Rabiot, albeit at a salary lower than the $22 million previously reported. Rabiot’s possible arrival would be dependent on the departure of Anderson Talisca or Mane, who could move to Turkiye before their window closes on September 13. The arrival of the France international in Riyadh would not rule out a move for Kovacic in January, although this could be the case. making it necessary for Al-Nassr to create an additional salary position.