Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr double transfer offer to sign ex-AC Milan defender – Reports
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have reportedly doubled their transfer bid to snap up former AC Milan defender Gustavo Gomez this summer.
Gomez, 30, has established himself as a core squad member of the Verdao since initially arriving on loan from AC Milan in 2018. He sealed a €2 million move to his current team in the summer of 2020.
Prior to moving to Brazil, the 66-cap Paraguay captain spent two campaigns at AC Milan. He made 20 appearances for them after arriving from Lanus for around €9 million ahead of the 2016-17 season.
A right-footed powerful centre-back, Gomez has been one of the top performers for Palmeiras in the past five years. He has scored a respectable 31 goals and laid out seven assists in 246 matches across competitions for the Brazilian outfit, lifting 10 trophies along the way.
According to La Nacion, Al-Nassr have identified Gomez as a top transfer target as they hope to splash the cash this summer. After their initial offer was turned down by Palmeiras, they have doubled their bid for the defender's signature to keep the ongoing negotiations open.
Gomez, whose current deal is set to expire in December 2026, has already agreed to a lucrative three-year contract at the Mrsool Park. He could be offloaded if a bid of over €12 million is lodged for him.
Should Gomez join Ronaldo's side in the near future, he would emerge as a crucial starter for them. He would most likely be partnered by either Abdulelah Al-Amri or Ali Lajami at the heart of defence.
So far this summer, Al-Nassr have roped in Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan in a permanent deal worth €18 million. They have tied down the 2018 FIFA World Cup finalist to a three-year contract.
Cristiano Ronaldo dismisses rumors about compatriot joining Al-Nassr after direct talks
Earlier this month, A Bola claimed that Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo directly called Porto star Otavio to sell him a move to Al-Nassr. The Portuguese daily also suggested that Al-Aalami have already offered the attacking midfielder a contract worth €13 million-a-year.
However, Ronaldo has rubbished the latest transfer speculations about the 14-cap Portugal international. He told Desporto Noticias ao Minuto:
"It's totally a lie. You break news like these as bait. There's honestly nothing finalized. The media have already said that 10 or 15 players are coming to Al-Nassr, but nothing has been confirmed. We know we're going to strengthen, but we don't have any specific players."
Otavio, 28, is contracted to Porto until June 2025. He has contributed 31 goals and 75 assists in 281 overall appearances for his club so far.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, joined Al-Nassr on a free switch earlier this year after his contract termination at Manchester United. The 38-year-old has registered 14 goals and two assists in 19 games for his team.