Cristiano Ronaldo could face former Al Nassr teammate as Marcelo Brozovic draws interest from Saudi Pro League rival

Marcelo Brozovic could soon find himself lining up against Cristiano Ronaldo and his former club, with Al Ahli reportedly considering a move for the former Al Nassr midfielder before the Saudi transfer window closes.

According to Saudi Pro League insider Sami Al Qadi, Brozovic is among the options Al Ahli is weighing as it looks to strengthen its midfield ahead of the deadline, a stunning turn for a player who spent three seasons alongside Ronaldo at Al Nassr.

Brozovic actually left Al Nassr as a free agent back in July, closing out a spell that began in 2023 when he arrived from Inter Milan for an initial fee of around €18 million. His departure came after a reported approach from crosstown rival Al Hilal, who at one point offered him a salary said to double what he was earning at Al Nassr, though that move never materialized either.

Now, with the Saudi transfer window still open, Brozovic remains without a club, and Al Ahli’s interest suggests he could stay in the kingdom rather than seek a return to Europe. A move to Al Ahli would immediately set up a reunion with Ronaldo on the opposite side of the pitch whenever the two Saudi giants meet in league play.

Al Nassr’s own transfer window has been a struggle

While Brozovic looks for his next club, his former side has had a summer to forget in the market. Al Nassr brought in just a single new face all window, midfielder Samu Costa, signed from Real Mallorca for a reported fee of around $25.6 million, and that deal alone reportedly used up the club’s entire recruitment budget for the period.

The club was only able to complete even the Costa transfer after securing its Financial Compliance Certificate from the league, a requirement that had held up registrations while Al Nassr worked through its outstanding financial obligations under the PIF’s oversight.

According to journalists Nawaf Oga and Haitam El Imani, Al Nassr have now effectively withdrawn from the transfer market altogether, with no further incoming signings expected before the window shuts.

A move to bring in a foreign replacement for winger Wesley, who was loaned out to Cruzeiro, has been called off entirely, with the target player’s agents informed that talks were permanently halted, leaving manager Ange Postecoglou to work with the squad he already has for the rest of the campaign.