3 min readFeb 2, 2026 11:14 PM IST
Portugese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was absent from Al Nassr’s Saudi Pro League match against Al Riyadh on Monday. The reports suggest that he might have gone on a strike over the club’s lack of transfer activity.
As reported by Portugese media outlet A Bola, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner is unhappy that Al Nassr has not strengthened its squad in order to challenge for the league title.
Another report on Sky Sports suggests that Ronaldo feels that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is giving preferential treatment to the other three clubs. In Saudi Pro League, the PIF owns four clubs- Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.
Al-Nassr CEO Jose Semedo declined to comment, according to Saudi media.
The 40-year-old Ronaldo has scored 17 goals this season. His team is currently placed second on the table with 46 points from 19 games and sit just behind Al Hilal who are on top with 47 points.
Al Hilal has enjoyed a fruitful window so far after completing a deal for former Arsenal defender Pablo Mari and are strongly linked with a £26m move for Rennes’ Kader Meite. They can also move for Karim Benzema, who plys his trade for Al Ittihad.
Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Benzema also staged a strike at his current club after feeling insulted by the contract extension. Benzema, who is reported to earn £1.6m a week, is out of contract this summer. When Al Ittihand came with a contract extension last week, Benzema felt so insulted by the proposal that he did not for them against Al Najma on Sunday.
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Al Ittihad is currently ranked sixth with 34 points from 19 games.
Toney turns down Juventus
Former Brentfor striker Ivan Toney has turned down the chance to move to Juventus and two Premier League clubs Ivan Toney, meanwhile, has turned down the chance to move to Juventus and two Premier League clubs in this window.
Toney is happy and settled at Al Ahli and believes he is fitter and sharper than ever. He has scored 56 times in 72 games for Al Ahli and he wants to keep scoring to get into the England squad for the World Cup. He was called up to Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad for the June international camp.
Al Ahli signed him from Brentford for £40m 18 months ago.
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