Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr has been banned by FIFA from registering new players, a decision that has stunned the Saudi league at a time when its clubs are pouring billions of euros to transfer players from European clubs.
Al Nassr, who finished second in the league last year, began their ascent in Saudi football when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo in a contract worth £173 million a year.
A host of other big names have moved to the Middle East in recent times, including Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves, N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy, while Steven Gerrard has become Al Ettifaq’s manager.
Al Nassr have brought in Marcelo Brozovic from Champions League finalists Inter, but their future in terms of new signings has now entered an unclear path, according to lajmi.net.
In fact, FIFA has banned the club from registering new signings, be they domestic or international transfers.
FIFA’s ruling applies to three transfer windows and concerns the club’s failure to pay add-ons to Leicester City as part of a £14m deal for Nigerian striker Ahmed Musa.
Nassr are said to owe the Foxes £390,000 but have yet to be paid and are now being punished as a result
