Why did Al Nassr sign only one new player causing Ronaldo to 'rebel'?

Ronaldo is stressed with Al Nassr following the team's decision to bring in only one significant newcomer. The problem stems from financial strategies and PIF’s distribution of transfer funds across clubs.

Cristiano Ronaldo is 'rebelling' at Al Nassr, refusing to play in protest, believing that his club is being PIF - Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund treated unfairly and having restricted cash flow, preventing them from signing players. The truth behind this drama is slowly emerging. So why did Al Nassr only recruit a single new player at the start of January? What is the reason?

The root of the issue began with Al Nassr’s previous spending strategy. In the summer of 2025, Al Nassr heavily invested to sign Joao Felix from Chelsea for around 50 million Euros, along with contracting Kingsley Coman from Bayern Munich with a total value of about 30 million Euros (including bonuses). Coman also received an extremely attractive salary, approximately 20–25 million Euros per year, making him one of the highest-paid players in the Saudi Pro League.

These deals, in terms of reputation, helped elevate Al Nassr’s image but financially created immense pressure. Previously, Bayern Munich wanted to offload Coman due to his high wages (17–18 million Euros per season), and Chelsea saw selling Felix as a way to balance their budget. Al Nassr accepted both the transfer fees and the wage burden, significantly draining their financial resources.

As a result, in the following period, Al Nassr was nearly unable to spend aggressively. They were reportedly close to signing a top European goalkeeper, but the deal collapsed at the last moment due to lack of approval for funds. This further frustrated Ronaldo, who believes the club no longer has enough ambition to compete with major rivals, especially Al Hilal.

Here, the role of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) is crucial. Since 2023, PIF owns 75% of the shares in four Saudi giants: Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli. This means all major decisions about transfers, budgets, and wage funds must be approved by PIF, not solely by the club management.

Theoretically, PIF claims the financial mechanism is applied equally to all teams in the system. However, in reality, resource allocation is uneven. While Al Hilal continues to be "fueled" with money to sign big stars, Al Nassr faces tighter restrictions, limiting them to only a few signings. This disparity has caused Ronaldo to feel "abandoned" in the title race.

Ronaldo’s frustration grew even more when witnessing Karim Benzema shine brilliantly for Al Hilal. In his very first start, the former Real Madrid striker scored a hat-trick helping his team win 6-0 against Al Okhdood. Benzema not only scored but also had a clear tactical impact, leading Al Hilal to sacrifice other foreign players to build the team around him.

In this context, Ronaldo took a firm stance. He refused to play in the match against Al Riyadh and is likely to miss the big game against Al Ittihad in the early hours of February 7, 2026. Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that this is not due to injury or fitness, but stems from CR7’s demands for the club’s transfer autonomy.

More notably, according to Saudi Arabia’s Al Watan newspaper, Al Nassr could even terminate Ronaldo’s contract immediately without compensation, based on Article 17 of FIFA’s transfer regulations. If a player fails to fulfill playing duties, the club has the right to unilaterally end the contract. Ronaldo’s case is considered "outside the protected period," so he won’t face suspension but risks losing his contract and facing financial disputes.

Clearly, this story is not just about a rebellious player, but a bigger issue regarding financial operations, PIF’s power, and Al Nassr’s true ambitions. Without significant changes, the Saudi Pro League could face the prospect of losing its biggest icon.