Al-Nassr superstar wants exit from club following alleged fallout with Cristiano Ronaldo: Reports
Former Liverpool winger Sadio Mane is considering leaving Al-Nassr this summer after falling out with Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Foot Mercato (via Tuko). The Knights of Najd signed Mane from Bayern Munich last summer for a reported fee of £24 million.
The 32-year-old scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions last season but was often criticized by fans due to his inconsistent performances.
Mane formed a formidable partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo in Al-Nassr's attack, sharing the pitch a total of 43 times to date, in which they average 2.26 points per game. However, it appears the pair reportedly have a tense relationship, which has led to Mane seeking an exit from the club.
It should be noted that this report comes just weeks after Mane's agent told Fabrizio Romano (via Manchester Evening News):
"He is preparing the season with Al Nassr and has absolutely no intention to leave. His club is extremely happy with him."
Mane is contracted to Al-Nassr until the summer of 2026. It is now unclear where his future lies, having been linked with Red Bull Salzburg and Al-Ittihad this summer.
Louis Saha tips Al-Nassr ace Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Manchester United
Former Manchester United forward Louis Saha believes Al-Nassr megastar Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Old Trafford one day despite the 39-year-old exiting on bad terms in November 2022.
Saha reckons Ronaldo could return even as a manager or coach, given his high passion and dedication for the sport. He told TVSporten (via METRO):
"Cristiano Ronaldo has the passion and dedication to return to Manchester United one day. That could be as a coach or even a manager. His second spell didn’t end how everyone had hoped and you can see why that frustrated him."
He added:
"He didn’t see the same formula and didn’t see the passion from young players that he had been used to seeing. Now, he will know that he needs to find a new way to communicate when he becomes a coach, which maybe isn’t as harsh or direct as it was when he was at the club."
"He will work out how to be successful and use all his knowledge to do that, we’ve seen Roy Keane go into management and have success. Cristiano will understand what he needs to do as a manager and I see no reason why he wouldn’t be a success."
Ronaldo has had two stints at Manchester United, with his first being between 2003 and 2009, where he made his breakthrough under Sir Alex Ferguson. He returned to the club in the summer of 2021 but had his contract terminated barely 15 months later after falling out with manager Erik ten Hag.
It remains to be seen if Cristiano Ronaldo will return to Manchester United for a third time as a player or manager. He is currently contracted to Al-Nassr until next summer and will be seeking to win his first trophy for the club this season.