Mauro Icardi at Cristiano Ronaldo’s: work in progress

Contacts for Maurito’s sensational arrival at the wealthy Saudi society would already have been initiated

Al-Nassr is no longer standing still. Already put on the map of world soccer thanks to the arrival last summer of a coach as famous in Europe as Rudi Garcia, the Saudi club has catalyzed the attentions of the entire soccer world and by signing no less than Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese starlet has tied himself to the club with a very rich €200 million-a-year contract, including commercial deals, but the sensation shots may not have ended there.

Indeed, the Asian club is reportedly planning to pair CR7 with Mauro Icardi, the former Inter Milan center forward and captain still owned by PSG who is playing on loan – and profitably – at Galatasaray. Obviously no money problems for the wealthy Saudi club, which would be willing to shower the Argentine striker with gold. The willingness of the player, who at 29 is trying to relaunch himself in the soccer that counts thanks to the experience on Turkish soil, remains to be verified.

Founded in 1955 by brothers Hussein and Zaid Al-Jabaa, Al-Nassr has won nine Arab championships in its history, most recently in 2019. Its ranks include former Napoli player Ospina, Cameroonian Vincent Aboubakar, and former Bayern Munich Luiz Gustavo.