Cristiano Ronaldo has been reminded by the Saudi Pro League that “no individual – however significant – determines decisions beyond their own club” amid reports of a dispute over transfer spending. The Portuguese star, who turned 41 on Thursday, is reportedly unhappy with Al-Nassr’s lack of activity in the January transfer window.
It has been suggested Ronaldo could miss Friday’s league match against Al-Ittihad as part of the dispute, having already been absent from Monday’s game against Al-Riyadh. The forward is said to be discontented with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) for failing to invest in Al-Nassr while rivals Al-Hilal – also majority-owned by the PIF – signed his former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.
In a statement on Thursday, the league emphasised the independence of all clubs to manage their finances. “The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules,” a spokesperson said. “Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance.”
The league added that recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly, with one club strengthening in a particular way and another choosing a different approach. Transfer funds are understood to come from a central player acquisition fund, not directly from the PIF, with Al-Nassr having used much of its allocation on previous signings including Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman.
Despite the uncertainty over his availability for Friday’s match, Al-Nassr published a birthday tribute to Ronaldo on social media, praising his “commitment, mentality, and leadership”. The league stressed that the focus remains on football, with a tight title race reflecting a system that is working as intended.
