Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr reach agreement to sign Bundesliga defender for €45m fee - Reports
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have reportedly reached an agreement with Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig for the transfer of defender Mohamed Simakan for around €45 million. The French defender is yet to agree personal terms with the Saudi outfit, with negotiations ongoing on this front.
Al-Nassr have struggled to match up to their rivals in recent seasons despite spending heavily on squad reinforcements. The Knights of Najd finished second in each of the last two league seasons, and are looking to add more quality players to their squad.
The Saudi giants made a move to sign Slovak defender Milan Skriniar from PSG this summer. However, failed to find an agreement with the 29-year-old on personal terms. RMC Sport reports that they now have turned their attention to Simakan, and have reached an agreement to pay around €45 million for the 24-year-old.
Al-Nassr have offered Simakan a five-year deal, but the French defender has yet to agree to join the club. The opportunity to play alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Aymeric Laporte, and several other stars may play a major role in convincing Simakan to move to Riyadh.
Luis Casto's side have conceded six goals in four official games to start the 2024-25 season, keeping just one clean sheet in the process. Their defensive frailty is a source of worry for the club's management, leading them to try and sign defensive cover.
Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo wins award at UCL draws
Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo received an award for being the highest goalscorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League. The 39-year-old was honored at the draws for the revamped group stage of the competition in the 2024-25 season, held in Monaco.
Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a hugely successful career in Europe before deciding to move to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League in January 2023. The Portuguese star represented Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus in the UEFA Champions League between 2004 and 2023.
The Portuguese forward was very prolific in the UEFA Champions League, scoring 140 goals and providing 48 assists in 183 appearances in the competition. He scored his first goal in the competition in 2007 against AS Roma.
Ronaldo has scored 11 goals more than second-placed Lionel Messi and 46 more than third-placed Robert Lewandowski since making his debut in the competition. He has scored eight hat-tricks and is the only player to score in four different finals (2008, 2014, 2017). He also has five Champions League winner's medals in his cabinet.