One Year Out, Al-Nassr Closer to Welcoming Back Injured Stars
12 October 2025
Al-Nassr Close to Reclaiming Injured Players
Al-Nassr are close to reclaiming several injured players as they pursue every trophy this season. They are competing for the Saudi Pro League title, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, and the AFC Champions League 2, following an early setback that included a Saudi Super Cup loss, underscoring the need for every available player to rotate and stay fresh.
Return of Sami Al-Najai
The Saudi sports daily Al-Riyadhiya delivered welcome news to Al-Nassr fans, reporting that Sami Al-Najai, the team’s midfield spark, is nearing a comeback after more than a year on the sidelines. According to the report, Al-Najai has been doing isolated ball work for the first time since his surgery, signaling a gradual path back to the first team.
The medical staff plan a staged return to training after he completes his therapeutic and rehabilitation program. Al-Najai suffered a torn ACL in the knee during the 1-1 draw with Al-Raed on August 22, 2024, the opening match of last season.
He underwent ACL surgery in Barcelona in September last year, and although an initial six-month return was anticipated, the recovery extended to around thirteen months. A strong addition. Al-Najai's return would strengthen Al-Nassr's midfield, especially since he was a regular before the injury.
Al-Najai is a product of the club’s youth system; he was promoted to the first team in 2019, spent time on loan at Al-Qadsiah in 2018-19 and at Damac in 2019-2020, before returning to the capital club. During his time with Al-Nassr, the 28-year-old has appeared in 112 matches, scoring 13 goals and providing 15 assists, underscoring his quality. His best form came in the 2023-2024 season before his injury, when he played 30 games, scoring two goals and making three assists.
His return would be a strong remedy for Jorge Jesus’s midfield concerns, given the reliance on Marcelo Brozovic and Abdullah Al-Khubri as starters, with Angelo used in this position. With Al-Najai back and Ali Al-Hassan on the bench, Al-Nassr would have enough players to rotate in midfield.
Return of Saud Al-Nasser
Separately, Al-Riyadhiya reported that left-back Saud Al-Nasser is close to returning to Al-Nassr. The paper noted that Al-Nasser joined part of the team’s training under coach Jorge Jesus, after recovering from his injury. The left-back suffered the injury during Al-Nassr’s 5-0 win over Istiklol Dushanbe in the AFC Champions League group stage on Sept 17.
He has missed four matches since then, with the team beating Riyadh 5-1, Al-Ittihad 2-0 in the league, beating Jeddah 4-0 in the King Cup Round of 32, and beating Al-Zawraa 2-0 in the ACL group stage’s second matchday. He could be one of Jesus’s options when hosting Al-Fateh next Saturday at Al-Nasr’s Park, in the fifth round of the Saudi Pro League. The 24-year-old joined Al-Nassr from Al-Tawoun in the last summer window, but has played only two matches, with the Istiklol Dushanbe game being his first start.
Al-Nasser’s return would be a strong addition at left-back, given Jesus’s reliance on Ayman Yahya on the right wing and Nawaf Bosl who can play as a right-back. Rehabilitation continues: some injured players remain in rehab, led by Saad Haqwi and Abdul Malik Al-Jaber. Haqwi suffers from a first-degree hamstring tear sustained during Saudi Arabia’s U-20 World Cup campaign in Chile.
The injury occurred in the tournament’s opening group game against Colombia, which sidelined him for Nigeria and Norway, ending Saudi Arabia’s campaign in the group stage. Meanwhile, Abdul Malik Al-Jaber sustained a knee cartilage injury at the start of pre-season; he underwent surgery and is currently in rehabilitation, aiming to return soon to begin his journey with Al-Nassr under Jorge Jesus.
Sniper punchline 1: If healing times were measured in coffee breaks, these players would be back before you finish reading this sentence.
Sniper punchline 2: The bench is getting crowded—coach Jesus might need a medical degree in crowd management to keep everyone entertained while the goals keep coming.
