Al Nassr begin the new Saudi Pro League season as defending champions and early pace-setters, sitting first in the table on 86 points from 34 games in the previous campaign, two ahead of Al Hilal. That narrow gap underlines how tight the title race figures to be, and the pressure on Ange Postecoglou's side to maintain their standards from day one is real.

Off the pitch, the club has been busy in ways that have not entirely satisfied supporters. Fan frustration has grown over a transfer window that, so far, has produced only one foreign signing, Portuguese midfielder Samo Costa. Reports indicate the club is planning up to six further deals, both local and foreign, with players including Bento and Inigo Martinez potentially reclassified to the Asian squad list to free up foreign slots. Interest in AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan has also been reported, though no deal is confirmed. Alongside the squad business, the club is understood to be reshaping its administrative structure, moving away from foreign staff in certain roles in favour of local leadership.

Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Riyadh after his summer break and his official marriage announcement to Georgina Rodriguez added further noise around the club this week. His availability for the new season was confirmed ahead of Saturday's home opener against Al Fateh at Al-Awwal Park, where Al Nassr will look to build early momentum. A slow start to the window and lingering squad questions mean the coming weeks will reveal whether the champions can match last season's title-winning form.