Just after returning, Ronaldo immediately put Al Nassr in a difficult position

Coach Jorge Jesus is believed to have sent an “ultimatum” to Al-Nassr’s board, stating clearly that his continuation in the Saudi Pro League depends heavily on the future of fellow Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

There have been many rumors about Ronaldo possibly ending his stint in Saudi Arabia, with the 41-year-old forward reportedly considering his options. A return to Europe, possibly Sporting CP, has been mentioned, while fans worldwide hope to see this superstar reunite with his great rival Lionel Messi at Inter Miami (the MLS Cup champions).

Currently, no final decision has been made regarding Ronaldo’s next move, and this also impacts Al-Nassr’s head coach, Jorge Jesus. He is said to have “made contract extension conditional on Ronaldo’s continued stay.” The Al-Riyadiyah newspaper confirmed that Jesus will not sign a new deal if Ronaldo leaves.

The source also added: “The coach will not discuss his contract, which expires at the end of the season, until he has a clearer picture of the Portuguese captain’s future.”

Ronaldo missed the last two matches for Al-Nassr after expressing frustration over how the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) allocates the budget among the clubs they control. The transfer of Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal was seen as the “last straw.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner wants to see Al-Nassr strengthen their squad more during the winter transfer window to compete for the Saudi Pro League title, but that did not happen. This situation reportedly also upset Jesus, as he “has been waiting for the completion of two signings he requested since early January, but so far they have not materialized.”

Al-Riyadiyah stated that Jesus “is not expected to renew his contract under the current circumstances, which make it difficult for him to meet his professional demands.” He has been in charge of Al-Nassr since the start of the 2025-26 season and has recorded 24 wins in 30 matches.

Ronaldo is said to have “cooled down” after causing much media turmoil and has returned to training. The Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported that CR7 could be called up again for the match against Al-Fateh on February 15. However, he will not participate in the AFC Champions League 2 match against Arkadag (Turkmenistan) on February 11.