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Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr have spent most of the 2023/24 campaign playing second fiddle to Al Hilal. The Blue Waves have made easy work out of their rivals in most encounters, turning the rivalry into a one-sided contest. Well, things are unlikely to change next season! The Saudi Arabian Football Association is reportedly planning to introduce a new rule that would offer rewards to teams based on their seasonal performance, according to reports.

Top Saudi Arabian outfits receive financial aid throughout the season to bolster their squad while enhancing the quality present in the Saudi Pro League. Teams have made the most out of these aids, with top signings such as Neymar JrMarcelo Brozovic, Sadio Mane, Ivan Rakitic, and N’Golo Kante, amongst others, joining the league this season. Al Hilal has emerged as the biggest spender out of all the teams, and it could once again be the case for the upcoming season.

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Jorge Jesus’ side has been on top of their game, maintaining a firm 12-point lead at the top of the table. With just four games left in the league, the team has secured the league title in everything but name. With the side finishing at the top, Al Hilal will now be privy to the best funds to bolster their already solid squad. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr will probably finish second and could probably be forced to play catch-up, considering the lower financial aid.

Cristiano Ronaldo recommends Al Nassr to sign top Premier League stars

Despite having some of the top players in the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr has failed to produce the needed results. The team is essentially out of all competitions, excluding the Kings Cup. With fans hoping to see their team lift some trophies, the management could turn their attention to what they are best at-signing top players! According to reports, Al Nassr has identified Bernardo Silva and Luis Diaz as potential targets based on the recommendations of Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Silva has a $55 million release clause, which, in all fairness, is chump change for a Middle Eastern outfit. However, convincing the Portuguese to leave Manchester City for the second-best project in Saudi Arabia is a big ask. Similarly, Luis Diaz has performed well under Jurgen Klopp and could be the perfect successor to Mohamed Salah at Liverpool.

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However, everyone has a price. Notably, the Saudi Arabian outfits are known for their outlandish offers. It wouldn’t be a surprise if we saw some top European players follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps and move to the Middle East.

Written by

Saurabh Saket

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Saurabh Saket is a Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. He is a passionate Borussia Dortmund fan despite them not lifting the league title in the last twelve years. This writing machine wants to make a difference with his proficiency in journalism.
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Edited by

Jacob Gijy