The Saudi Football Pro League has warned Cristiano Ronaldo that “no individual, no matter how important, makes decisions outside his own club”, amid a transfer dispute.
The Portuguese superstar, who turned 41 on Thursday, is unhappy with his club Al-Nassra’s lack of activity in the January transfer window.
Sources told ESPN that Ronaldo plans to boycott a second straight league game after not receiving assurances that the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) will make changes to the management of the Saudi Professional League club.
Al-Nassr expects Ronaldo to play against Al-Ittihad today (6.30pm), sources said, after missing Monday’s game against Al-Riyadh.
Ronaldo is unhappy with PIF for failing to invest in the team in the winter transfer window while rivals Al-Hilal, also 75 percent owned by PIF, brought in his former Spain Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.
However, the league said in a statement that clubs have independence and manage their finances as they see fit.
“The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: Each club operates independently according to the same rules. Clubs have their own boards, their own managers and their own football leadership. Decisions about engagements, spending and strategy are up to those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and balance. That framework applies equally to the entire league. Cristiano has been fully engaged in Al-Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambitions. Like any elite A competitor, no matter how important it is, determines that independence. One club has chosen a different approach, given that only a few points separate the top four.
It is believed that the funds for the transfers do not come from the PIF, but from the player acquisition fund.
The fund is overseen by the Saudi Professional League and provides funding to clubs annually based on their size, with the country’s big four (Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli) believed to have received around the same amount before the summer transfer window opened last year.
(Vijesti.ba)
