Cristiano Ronaldo urges Al-Nassr to recruit Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic
Cristiano Ronaldo, a key figure at Al-Nassr, has reportedly recommended the acquisition of Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic. This move is part of the club's strategy to strengthen its midfield in January. The Saudi Pro League side sees Kovacic as an ideal addition to their team and is prepared to offer him an annual salary of $65 million as per a report in CBS Sports. Here are further details.
Ronaldo's influence on Al-Nassr's recruitment strategy
Since joining Al-Nassr, Ronaldo has significantly influenced the club's recruitment strategy. His endorsement of Kovacic is seen as a move to boost their performance in the Saudi Pro League. The proposed deal would not only strengthen Al-Nassr's midfield but also underscore the club's ambitions on both domestic and international stages.
Al-Nassr wanted to sign Kovacic in the summer
Al-Nassr needed to offload the likes of Sadio Mane and Anderson Talisca to create room for Kovacic in the summer. As per the report, former Liverpool star Mane was reportedly the subject of interest from two other Saudi clubs, including rivals Al-Ahli. However, the deal fell through and so did Al-Nassr's hopes of bringing Kovacic to Saudi Arabia before the transfer window deadline.
Al-Nassr are also targeting Rabiot
In addition to Kovacic, Al-Nassr are also considering a move for French midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The Frenchman, who is currently a free agent, left Juventus. However, any move for Rabiot is seen as complementary to the pursuit of Kovacic, rather than an alternative.
Kovacic's club career numbers
Kovacic has made 49 appearances for Man City, scoring four times. Before this, he played for Chelsea, making 221 appearances (6 goals). He also made 109 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring thrice. He also played for Dinamo Zagreb and Inter Milan, making 73 and 97 appearances respectively.
