Cardinale explores Al-Nassr acquisition
The American investment management firm RedBird Capital Partners is exploring a move to purchase Al-Nassr, a club currently owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and captained by Portugal striker Ronaldo.
Reports indicate that the takeover plan could see the 41-year-old become a part-owner of the team he joined in 2023. RedBird is no stranger to football investment, having purchased an 85 per cent majority stake in French side Toulouse in 2020 before completing the acquisition of Italian giants AC Milan two years later.
A successful takeover would create a fascinating multi-club network featuring both Milan standout Pulisic and the iconic Ronaldo.
'I'd like to meet Ronaldo'
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport about the ongoing takeover reports, Cardinale admitted his interest while stressing that negotiations are still in their infancy.
"There have been discussions to assess the Al-Nassr opportunity and I was contacted to look into it, but we are at a preliminary stage. I work a lot in the Middle East," Cardinale revealed.
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TNT Sports (HBO Max)
✅ Broadcasts up to two live Serie A fixtures each week, heavily focusing on the biggest clubs and highest-profile Sunday evening games.
✅ Packages Italian domestic football alongside complete, exclusive coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
✅ Includes multiple live Premier League matches, Premiership Rugby, and MotoGP in the same linear and streaming package.
BBC
✅ Broadcasts 38 live Serie A matches throughout the season, making top-flight Italian football accessible without a pay-TV subscription.
✅ Streams seamlessly across all smart TVs, consoles, and mobile devices via the ubiquitous BBC iPlayer.
✅ In partnership with BBC ALBA, offers alternative language broadcasts for a localized Scottish viewing experience.
DAZN
✅ Serves as the primary home of Italian football in the UK, streaming all 380 Serie A fixtures live and on-demand.
✅ Provides extensive Serie A shoulder programming, match highlights, and dedicated analysis.
✅ Bundles the Italian top flight alongside other global properties like the Saudi Pro League, premium boxing, and the UEFA Women's Champions League.
TNT Sports (HBO Max)
✅ Broadcasts up to two live Serie A fixtures each week, heavily focusing on the biggest clubs and highest-profile Sunday evening games.
✅ Packages Italian domestic football alongside complete, exclusive coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League.
✅ Includes multiple live Premier League matches, Premiership Rugby, and MotoGP in the same linear and streaming package.
The RedBird chief also discussed the prospect of collaborating with Ronaldo, whose playing contract in Saudi Arabia runs until June 2027, expressing a desire to understand the forward's long-term ambitions.
"I'd like to meet Ronaldo because I'm curious to find out what he might want to do when he retires and what his future involvement with the Saudi club might be. I'll continue to assess the possibilities of managing multiple clubs, although I already have Toulouse and AC Milan," Cardinale added.
An alien chasing history
On the pitch, Ronaldo remains in blistering form. The veteran forward crept closer to his 1,000-goal career milestone by netting a hat-trick during Al Nassr's 5-3 Saudi Pro League victory over Al-Kholood on Thursday, leaving him just 15 goals short of the historic tally.
Boxer Oleksandr Usyk was in attendance for the eight-goal thriller and simply described the prolific forward as "an alien".
Following the impressive victory, the Al Nassr captain took to social media to celebrate his latest feat. "Great win, great team performance," Ronaldo posted. "Happy to help with a hat trick!"
Approaching a historic milestone
As Ronaldo closes in on the unprecedented 1,000-goal mark, all eyes will be on his continued scoring exploits in the Saudi Pro League. Meanwhile, off the pitch, RedBird's preliminary discussions will dictate whether this ambitious takeover moves forward, potentially paving the way for a post-retirement boardroom partnership between Cardinale and one of football's greatest ever players.