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With the Saudi Pro League project continuing to flourish, Cristiano Ronaldo-led Al-Nassr have been making significant strides in the transfer market. They have been in on key players to further bolster their squad this summer.
The Saudi club, known for deep pockets, are determined to bolster their squad with a high-profile winger before the transfer window closes. Early in the window, they were in talks with FC Barcelona to negotiate a deal with Raphinha. However, with the move failing to materialize, Al Nassr have set their sights on Manchester United's Antony, according to reports from Football Insider.
He arrived at Old Trafford from Ajax in the summer of 2022 for a big fee of €100 million. The Brazilian winger has since been subjected to heavy criticism following a string of underwhelming performances. In his debut season, the 24-year-old racked up 10 goals and five assists in 47 appearances across competitions. His record turned worse next season, as he had just a five-goal contribution over 38 matches.
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But at Al-Nassr, playing alongside the likes of Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo, Antony could breathe into his career a second wind. His contract expires in 2027.
How are Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr preparing for the upcoming season?
After the disappointments of EURO 2024 and an extended family vacation, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr's pre-season training camp this week. He led Portugal to the quarter-finals, where they lost against France on penalties. In his absence, the Saudi club's performance in the pre-season friendlies have been a concern.
The club suffered three defeats and settled for three draws in their seven matches. The most recent of those losses was the one against Granada on August 4, where they failed to come back from Lucas Boye's first-half strike.
Al-Nassr have one last friendly to go as they will take on Spanish side UD Almeria later this week. They will then face Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final on August 14. Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to play some part in either or both of those matches.
The evergreen talisman is yet to win a trophy with the Saudi Pro League heavyweights, and he'll be yearning to break the pattern in the 2024-25 season.
