Ronaldo’s Saudi Dilemma: Benzema’s Arrival Could Reignite a Championship Tug-of-War
4 February 2026
Ronaldo’s Saudi Dilemma: Benzema Surprise Sparks a Transfer Storm
With the debate about the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo’s future after his boycott of playing for Al Nassr, speculation grows about a possible third return to Manchester United.
Ronaldo, who turns 41 on Thursday, did not participate in Al Nassr's 1-0 win in Riyadh on Monday, protesting the Public Investment Fund's decision to allow their rival Al Hilal to sign Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad on deadline day.
Benzema, who played beside Ronaldo at Real Madrid, moved to Al Hilal for free after terminating his contract with Al Ittihad, a deal that boosted the Saudi champions' title bid while sitting one point ahead of Ronaldo's team in the league.
Despite all three clubs being owned by the Public Investment Fund, Ronaldo believes this move gave Hilal an unfair edge by signing the French striker, according to The Mirror.
The development sparked speculation about whether Ronaldo would stay for the remaining 18 months of his contract with Al Nassr, who pay him about £488,000 a day.
Answer: No
Could the five-time Ballon d'Or winner have a dazzling third spell back at Manchester United? The answer, according to his former teammate Wes Brown, is no.
"Ronaldo is unhappy, but how could he return to Manchester United for the third time? I say no," Brown said, as reported by The Mirror.
He added: "I don't see how it happens. Maybe he heads to MLS or back to Portugal. He's got plenty of options. The main thing is that he still wants to play in the World Cup and keep himself in shape to achieve that."
The former United defender insisted: "It's shocking to see Ronaldo stop playing, but I genuinely think it will be resolved. We'll have to wait and see where this goes."
Neither Ronaldo nor any of his teammates or coaches have spoken publicly since Monday's win, as Al Nassr coach Jorge Jesus's press conference after the match was canceled, and players were told not to talk to the media.
Al Nassr’s next match is Friday against Al Ittihad at home, with Ronaldo's involvement still unclear.
Punchline 1: If suspense were a transfer fee, Ronaldo just paid a premium. Punchline 2: In football, age is just a calendar; charisma is a contract clause that never expires.
