Ronaldo wants De Bruyne to be his ‘ball pump’ at Al Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr club are reportedly “confident” they can sign Man City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne in a huge deal.

According to TEAMtalk, Al-Nassr are ready to do everything they can to bring De Bruyne to the Saudi Pro League as they are said to be prepared to pay the Belgian a whopping £1m-a-week – a huge increase on De Bruyne’s current salary of £400,000. Despite the financial lure, there is still uncertainty over the Man City playmaker’s decision, as he has previously expressed reluctance to leave Europe for the Middle East.

De Bruyne’s contract at Man City expires in the summer of 2025. TEAMtalk suggests that the Etihad board are hesitant to extend the Belgian’s contract, largely due to concerns over his recent injury record and his advancing age.

The 33-year-old has missed six games this season due to a hamstring problem and was sidelined for 41 games last year, prompting Man City to turn their attention to younger talent as they look to usher in a new era at the Etihad.

Ronaldo has also played a key role in the pursuit of De Bruyne, with Al-Nassr considering the Belgian playmaker a priority target next summer, TEAMtalk reports. The Portuguese has considerable influence and status within the club and his advice has prompted Al-Nassr to push ahead with plans to bring him to the Middle East.

Al-Nassr’s pursuit of De Bruyne signals the Saudi Pro League’s continued ambition to attract the world’s top talent. They may face competition from newcomers San Diego FC – but the MLS side are unlikely to be able to compete with the financial might of the Al Nassr representatives.