Portugal football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Gerry Cardinale, the owner of AC Milan, through Redbird Capital Partners, are in talks to buy football club Al Nassr from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. As per the disclosed information, the consortium is set to consist of five investors that include Cristiano Ronaldo, Gerry Cardinale, Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib, Mohammed Al-Khuraiji and Sharaf Al-Hariri, with each member set to assume a financial investment of close to 100 million dollars that amount to 92 million euro.
Has the operation to take over Al Nassr by Cristiano Ronaldo and co. a done deal?
If the operation goes ahead, It would put Ronaldo in a very powerful position. He is a Portuguese international, representing the club from Riyadh and would go from the fulcrum of the team to the owner of the club. Nevertheless, the agreement for the purchase of the club is far from there. Cardinale, who also happens to be the founder of the Redbird Capital Partners, will look to expand his territory. Redbird has a multi-club ownership model that includes the Italian Club and France’s Toulouse.
However, the deal remains far from sealed. As per Italian sources, Cardinale’s contacts primarily are indirect and primary and will only for now evaluate for a potential entry into the race to buy Al Nassr. A meeting is slated to take place between Redbird Capital Partners and Public Investment Fund in the next 48 hours where discussions will take place about the feasibility of the proposal or whether or not it can go ahead.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s career in Al Nassr
The 41-year-old striker from Portugal officially signed a contract with Al Nassr on December 30, 2022, with his contract formally beginning the very next day. The veteran athlete earns approximately $200 million to $220 million (£178 million) per year from the club, with the contract running through to 2027.
The signing bonus was reportedly between $24.5 million and $52.3 million. He also received additional perks that entail commercial deals, private jet expenses, and potential partial club ownership. Ronaldo played a crucial role in helping Al Nassr win the Saudi Pro League 2025-26 by netting 28 goals in 30 appearances. As of September 2026, the 41-year-old has 105 goals in 113 appearances for Al Nassr, making him the highest goal-scorer in the club’s history.
