"Ronaldo on the table": American-Saudi alliance in talks with the investment fund to buy Al-Nassr
A huge deal
An investment consortium led by American firm RedBird Capital Partners, alongside Saudi investors, has opened talks with the Public Investment Fund to buy a stake in Al-Nassr. The parties are hoping to close the deal by the end of the current season.
A source told "Asharq Bloomberg" that the consortium has tabled an offer for a stake in the club, adding that its representatives had met the Public Investment Fund, which owns Al-Nassr outright, over the past period.
The source says the consortium brings together RedBird Capital Partners, chaired by Gerry Cardinale, the Saudi firm Al-Wasail Company, and businessman and former Al-Nassr president Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib.
Talks between the parties are still ongoing, with the Fund showing openness to the options and offers put in front of it.
Italian website Calcio e Finanza reported that the discussions have not yet reached their final stages, nor a binding agreement.
RedBird Capital Partners declined to comment on the negotiations. Al-Wasail Company and Al-Muhaidib did not respond to Asharq Bloomberg's enquiries.
On 19 August, the Ministry of Sport transferred the non-profit organisation's 25% shareholding to the Public Investment Fund, lifting its ownership of Al-Nassr to 100%, after it had acquired 75% of the shares in the summer of 2023.
Ronaldo a candidate to join the consortium
A source close to the consortium told Asharq Bloomberg that the investors have asked to bring in Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr's captain, as an investor. A clause in his contract gives him priority to take 20% of the club's ownership should it be offered for private investment.
Portuguese newspaper A Bola reported last week that Ronaldo had joined the consortium, noting that each member is obliged to inject no less than 100 million dollars, which could push the total potential investment to around 500 million dollars.
RedBird Capital Partners owns Italian club AC Milan and French club Toulouse outright, and also holds a stake exceeding 10% in English club Liverpool.
