Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is seriously considering activating the €50 million release clause in his Al-Nassr contract amid growing frustration with the club’s transfer dealings.
The 41-year-old sat out a Saudi Pro League match recently as a show of dissatisfaction with the way the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has prioritised rival clubs during the recent winter transfer window.
His absence followed moves by Al-Hilal, another PIF-backed side, to strengthen their squad with the high-profile signing of Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad, adding to Ronaldo’s concern about Al-Nassr falling behind in league competition.
The Portugal captain’s contract renewal, signed mid-2025, runs through June 2027 and is understood to include a release clause set at €50 million. BeIN Sports reports that Ronaldo is ‘seriously’ considering activating the clause if his concerns are not addressed.
Al-Nassr has only seen 21-year-old Iraqi midfielder Hayder Abdulkareem added to the squad in the January transfer window. This is seen as insufficient by the forward, who is looking at the club’s ambitions and the investment seen at rival clubs.
Ronaldo’s frustration is tied to how the ownership, under the PIF, has distributed resources across the league. While Al Nassr remains one of the highest-paying clubs globally, reinforcements at the club are nothing like Al-Hilal’s and Al-Ahli’s.
The former Manchester United forward has scored 17 goals and provided one assist for Al-Nassr so far in the 2025-26 season, and is in no doubt loving life in the Middle East. But the recent turn of events has made him reassess his long-term prospects at the club.
