Trophies won, current owners, transfers and guide to Saudi Pro League club

The Saudi Pro League team European fans first became properly acquainted with thanks to their acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo, Al Nassr will be aiming for the title in 2023/24.

The Real Madrid legend’s arrival is not all there is to know about Al Nassr, however. They are one of the most successful clubs in Saudi Arabian football and only narrowly missed out on adding another league title last season.

They have been predictably busy in the transfer window so far this summer as they seek to build the perfect squad around Ronaldo, so let’s take a look at the history of the club, how they are funded and which players they have already signed in the summer of 2023.

Al Nassr are no strangers to winning trophies and it was a real disappointment for the club when they did not secure the title in Ronaldo’s first season. They will not want to let that happen again with the Portuguese forward firmly in the twilight of his career.

The first trophy for Al Nassr came back in the 1972/73 season when they won the Crown Prince’s Cup, retaining the trophy the following year too. Their first league title came in 1974/75 and have since won the Saudi Pro League another eight times, making them one of the most decorated clubs in the country.

Al Nassr have won five different domestic competitions on multiple occasions, but they have also had success on a continental level. They have won the Asian Cup Winner’s Cup and the Asian Super Cup, but are yet to lift the AFC Champions League, reaching the final in 1995.

The last league title for Al Nassr was in 2018/19 so, by their own successful standards and with all their new players, they are overdue.

While they already have proven pedigree in Saudi Arabian football, Al Nassr are expected to be fighting for the Saudi Pro League title due to their new ownership. They are one of the four clubs that were recently taken under the control of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).

That is the same PIF that owns Newcastle United in the Premier League and essentially means Al Nassr are government-backed. PIF owns 75% of the club and the other 25% is owned by the Al Nassr non-profit organisation.

While we are obviously more focused on who Al Nassr have signed and looking to bring in during the 2023 summer transfer window, we cannot ignore the fact they own Cristiano Ronaldo. He will be their main striker for the 2023/24 season.

As for newer signings, the focus has been on midfielders. After some protracted negotiations that involved competition from Barcelona, Al Nassr broke their transfer record to sign Marcelo Brozovic from Inter. That deal set them back £15.5m but it did not stay as their record for long.

They have also announced the signing of Seko Fofana, one of the best midfielders in Ligue 1. The Ivory Coast international left Lens after helping them to a second-placed finish in Ligue 1 and Champions League qualification. That deal cost Al Nassr £21.6m but they will now be able to field a very combative midfield in the Saudi Pro League.

They were recently dealt a transfer blow after Moussa Diaby opted to join Aston Villa but that could soon be put behind them with Sadio Mane very close to swapping Bayern Munich for the streets of Riyadh.

Alex Telles is expected to arrive from Manchester United as well. The deal had hit a snag but is now back on track.

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