Al Nassr unexpectedly cancels Hancko's transfer after signing: ‘Outrageous’

Feyenoord vice-captain David Hancko had long settled on personal terms with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr before both parties reached an agreement for the Slovakian center-back last Friday. Al Nassr consented to pay €40 million for Hancko, who would then become Feyenoord’s record transfer.

Al Nassr invited Hancko to the team’s training camp in Austria after the two sides signed a preliminary agreement. However, once in Austria, Al Nassr kept Hancko, who stayed in a hotel separate from the team, uninformed while the club claimed they would finalize the transfer of the 27-year-old.

On Tuesday, it was reported that Al Nassr had scrapped the deal entirely, and Hancko would no longer be joining the club. In the days leading up to this, Hancko was not allowed to enter the team hotel in Austria and was unable to train with the first team.

The announcement shocked both Feyenoord and Hancko, who had already canceled the lease on his apartment in Rotterdam, which has since been vacated. Team spokesperson Raymond Salomon criticized Al Nassr’s handling of the transfer, describing it as“outrageous” regarding how Al Nassr treated Hancko.

“He had reached an agreement with Al-Nassr, and so had Feyenoord. Then they allowed him to come to the training camp, only to suddenly inform him that he was no longer welcome. That’s unprecedented.”

The 52-time Slovakian international is contracted in Rotterdam until 2028 and will join the team’s training camp in southern Germany, a 90-minute drive from Al Nassr’s camp in Austria. There, he will reunite with the players and coaching staff he had already said farewell to.

Manager Robin van Persie has already expressed that he will welcome his captain back warmly. Hancko will be given time to cope with the most significant disappointment of his career.

Transfer on hold

Feyenoord was already seeking replacements for Hancko, having reached an agreement with Belgian club AA Gent for Japanese defender Tsuyoshi Watanabe and were also negotiating with Middlesbrough defender Rav van den Berg. While Watanabe's transfer is still proceeding, Hancko's deal falling through means Van den Bergh's transfer is now on hold.