Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan Owner in Talks to Buy Al Nassr in $500m Consortium Deal

Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan Owner in Talks to Buy Al Nassr in $500m Consortium Deal

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gerry Cardinale, the owner of AC Milan through RedBird Capital Partners, are leading a five-investor consortium preparing a formal offer to acquire Al Nassr from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The consortium, which includes Ronaldo alongside Cardinale and three Saudi businessmen — Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib, Mohammed Al-Khuraiji and Sharaf Al-Hariri — is prepared to commit approximately $100 million each, totaling around $500 million for the acquisition, according to reports from Portuguese newspaper A Bola and multiple football business outlets.

Meeting Scheduled Within 48 Hours to Discuss Feasibility

A crucial meeting between RedBird Capital Partners and PIF officials is scheduled to take place within the next 48 hours, where the feasibility of the proposal will be discussed. The outcome of this meeting will determine whether negotiations progress toward a transfer of Al Nassr’s ownership to the investment group.

As reported by Sportitalia and corroborated by The Nassr Tribune, Cardinale’s contacts with Al Nassr have been preliminary and indirect thus far. The RedBird founder is evaluating the opportunity as part of his multi-club ownership strategy, which currently includes AC Milan in Serie A and Toulouse in Ligue 1.

Ronaldo’s Dual Role: From Star Player to Potential Co-Owner

The 41-year-old Portuguese legend, who currently plays for Al Nassr, would transition from being the club’s star player to also becoming a co-owner. Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr in December 2022 and has since become the highest goal-scorer in the club’s history, with 105 goals in 113 appearances as of September 2026.

Ronaldo earns approximately $200-220 million per year from the club, which helped him lead Al Nassr to the Saudi Pro League 2025-26 title with 28 goals in 30 appearances. His contract runs through to 2027.

According to World Soccer Talk, the proposed arrangement could allow Ronaldo to hold an ownership stake while also taking an executive position within the club’s soccer department, focusing on first-team and sporting operations rather than overall club management.

Part of Broader Saudi Football Privatization

This potential takeover is part of broader privatization discussions surrounding Saudi football clubs. In August 2026, Kingdom Holding Company acquired a 70% majority stake in Al-Hilal from the PIF, which previously owned the Saudi Pro League’s “big four” clubs including Al Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli.

FootballTransfers reports that private investment is seen as the way forward for the Saudi Pro League, with Al Nassr facing reported financial issues and increasing debts. PIF has reportedly barred new signings unless funded directly by new sponsorships or club-generated revenues.

RedBird’s Multi-Club Expansion Strategy

Cardinale’s RedBird Capital has been actively expanding its football portfolio. In addition to AC Milan, the investment firm owns Toulouse in Ligue 1 and acquired a minority stake in Liverpool in 2021. The potential addition of Al Nassr would represent a significant expansion into the Middle East market.

As Gianluigi Longari noted, Cardinale wants to add more clubs to his budding football empire, and his interest has been piqued by the Saudi Pro League and, specifically, Ronaldo’s Al Nassr. However, the path remains complex, with preliminary and indirect contacts indicating this is far from a done deal.

“The guarantees surrounding the anticipated acquisition are reportedly still being finalized. Meanwhile, the leading candidate for the club presidency is said to be willing to inject funds for the upcoming season, but only if he receives an ownership stake in exchange for the financing.”— World Soccer Talk, reporting on the proposed ownership structure

While the deal remains uncertain, the involvement of high-profile figures like Ronaldo and Cardinale signals serious intent. If successful, this acquisition would mark one of the most high-profile ownership changes in recent football history, combining star power with established investment expertise.

Author: Ines Kovač, Football Business and Governance Correspondent. Sources: A Bola, Goal.com, Football360, World Soccer Talk, FootballTransfers, LiveScore. Licence: News content sourced from multiple reputable outlets with proper attribution.