LAUSANNE: Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi club, has been hit with a ban on registering new players by FIFA until they settle their unpaid debts, according to an announcement made on Thursday.
A spokesperson for FIFA informed AFP that the team is currently unable to register new players due to outstanding debts. However, the exact amount of these debts has not been disclosed.
FIFA did not specify whether the recent transfer of Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan to Al-Nassr would be affected by this sanction.
“The bans will be lifted as soon as the debts are settled and confirmed by the creditors involved,” added the spokesperson.
In October 2021, Al-Nassr was instructed by a FIFA-appointed judge to pay Leicester City a sum of 460,000 euros ($514,000) plus interest in relation to a dispute over the transfer of Nigeria international Ahmed Musa.
Musa had joined Al-Nassr for 18 million euros in 2018 but left the club two years later to play for Turkey’s Sivasspor during the last season.
According to the ruling at that time, failure to make the payment could result in Al-Nassr being banned from recruiting players over the course of “three consecutive registration periods.”
The Saudi Pro League, backed by the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund, has been attracting high-profile players from the major European leagues by offering substantial salaries.
Earlier this month, former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard assumed the role of coach at Al-Ettifaq. Additionally, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante have also made the move to the oil-rich Gulf state since Ronaldo’s transfer to Al-Nassr in January, initiating this trend.
–AFP
