Saudi Pro League officials believe Cristiano Ronaldo will end his strike and feature for Al Nassr on Saturday, talkSPORT understands.
The football icon has missed his side’s last two Saudi Pro League games because he is unhappy with how Al Nassr are being funded compared to other PIF-run clubs in Saudi Arabia.
Ronaldo saga: Everything we know
talkSPORT has learned Ronaldo failed to understand how Al Hilal found the funds to sign Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad.
Despite this, Al Hilal sources insist Benzema’s arrival was entirely funded by board member Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz and did not require central or PIF money.
Al Nassr face Arkadag in the Asian Champions Cup on Wednesday, before a league game against Al Fateh at the weekend, with Ronaldo expected to return for this clash.
The 41-year-old has continued to train as normal throughout, but refused to play in recent victories over Al Riyadh and Al Ittihad.
His action was part of a bid to gain more freedom and funding for CEO Jose Semedo and sporting director Simão Coutinho – hires he played a key role in making.
Al Nassr sources insist Ronaldo’s boycott is unanimously supported by their board.
However, multiple anonymous Saudi Pro League executives have told talkSPORT they feel a power play is ongoing ahead of a big summer following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.
Saudi Pro League clubs are expected to make at least 50 foreign player signings in phase two of an ambitious recruitment strategy than began in summer 2023.
A league spokesperson recently warned “no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club” in a direct attack on Ronaldo.
However, it is said that privately the Saudi Pro League have been trying to pacify the Portugal forward.
Some sources even suggest the Saudi Pro League wants Ronaldo to buy Al Nassr when he retires.
Multiple PIF clubs are expected to pursue Mo Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Vinicius Jr this summer, and some league officials believe Ronaldo is laying the foundations to give Al Nassr top priority at a marquee name.
Those close to Ronaldo insist he has conducted himself professionally and his mini-strike is not about individual signings, but the league’s approach towards funding.
How does the Saudi transfer market work?
Clubs rely on central Ministry of Sport money from the so-called Player Acquisition Centre of Excellence (PACE).
Around €2bn per season is allocated for clubs to spend on transfer and agent fees plus wages, but the money is not divided equally, leading several clubs to claim favouritism towards their rivals.
Senior sporting officials in Saudi argue funds are distributed fairly in order to raise the overall standard of the league, as it bids to become a top five league in the world by 2030.
What does the future hold for Ronaldo?
It is understood Ronaldo is prepared to leave Saudi Arabia if he doesn’t see an improvement in Al-Nassr’s ability to work freely in the market.
His contract contains a €50m release clause, with some clubs in Turkey already monitoring the situation.
Despite this, Saudi officials are confident he will return to action and ultimately see out his contract, which expires in summer 2027.
Ronaldo-Messi fairytale less likely
While Ronaldo’s future appears secure for now, his earlier stand-off had sparked intense speculation he could leave Al Nassr.
Several potential destinations were touted, including talk of a sensational switch to MLS franchise Inter Miami.
This would have seen Ronaldo join forces with generational rival Lionel Messi – fulfilling the dream of millions of football fans.
With the US outfit owned by Manchester United and England icon David Beckham, he was tipped to use his powers of persuasion to make the unthinkable happen.
Messi and Ronaldo’s rivalry has dominated football over the past two decades, with the pair boasting 13 Ballon d’Or awards between them.
Ronaldo and Messi prospect: The talkSPORT verdict
The prospect of uniting Ronaldo and Messi at Inter Miami may have only lasted briefly, but this didn’t stop plenty of discussion over how the dream scenario could play out.
There was one huge obstacle to the potential move, with the MLS allowing three Designated Players (DP) per team.
A DP allows a player to earn considerably more than the average MLS player – a rule brought in following Beckham‘s move to LA Galaxy in 2007.
But this wouldn’t have prevented Ronaldo from joining Inter Miami, whose current DPs are Messi and German Berterame, leaving one slot available.
Prior to Ronaldo’s settlement with Al Nassr, European football broadcaster Andy Brassell discussed the logistics of a would-be move to the MLS alongside Messi.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Brassell said: “It’s an interesting prospect, I’ll believe it when I see it.
“How you get around the salary cap, even with DPs, it feels like a bit of a leap to get those guys in the same team.
“Obviously, commercially it will be enormously exciting to a lot of people – I’m not sure how it massively improves American soccer from anything other than a commercial perspective.
“I think really when Mauricio Pochettino‘s fighting really hard to try and make the US competitive at this World Cup, there’s something a little bit sad in that.
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Ronaldo will leave Saudi. If he has to move clubs like Benzema, then so be it.”
While Brassell raised question marks over Ronaldo’s recent strike action, he admitted his motivation in the twilight stage of his career were admirable.
He continued: “I think even though it’s incredibly childish behaviour from a 41-year-old, it’s also interesting that someone like him is not totally sated by money.
“Winning stuff still matters enormously to him. Even if there’s a huge part of the football world who thinks winning in Saudi doesn’t mean anything – it doesn’t mean anything at all. It really means a lot to Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s still got that hope or heart of a competitor about him – it’s something that’s amazing.
“At this point in his career, he shouldn’t really care, should he? He should just be sated by the money.”