Has Cristiano Ronaldo backed away from the idea of acquiring Al-Nassr?

The Portuguese star could be heading for a different project

Cristiano Ronaldo's absence from the latest talks over a potential takeover of Al-Nassr has raised fresh questions about where the Portugal star stands on a project that had been linked to his name in recent weeks, particularly as new investment moves emerge involving several Saudi and American parties.

Portuguese sources had earlier claimed Ronaldo was joining forces with a number of investors to take over the club. The move would have handed the captain a role stretching well beyond the pitch, giving him a stake in Al-Nassr's investment future.

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Sebastian Frej
New coalition: Ronaldo out of the picture
The newspaper "Arriyadiyah" has revealed the moves led by a consortium made up of a local investment fund and potential investors, among them the American company "RedBird", alongside Saudi parties and businessman Ibrahim Al-Muhaidib. The group is chasing an agreement with the Public Investment Fund "PIF" to acquire a stake in Al-Nassr club's company.
The negotiations picked up pace over the past few weeks, according to the report, with the consortium and the Saudi investors on one side and the Public Investment Fund on the other. Their target: to land a stake in the club's company by the end of the current season.
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Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, gets no mention within the consortium now moving to acquire a stake in Al-Nassr. That omission raises fresh questions about the idea that once linked the team captain's name to the deal.
His absence from the current moves does not necessarily mean he has pulled out of any potential investment project. There is no official information so far confirming he has stepped back from the idea or exited it for good. Even so, the recent developments have dragged the file back into the circle of questions.

AFP
Have Ronaldo's calculations changed?
Doubts are mounting. Reports suggest Ronaldo has cooled on the idea of joining an investment project at Al-Nassr, wary of the files and internal problems dogging the club right now, though he is yet to declare his final position publicly.
American firm RedBird, run by Gerry Cardinale, owns Italy's Milan and France's Toulouse outright and holds a stake of more than 10% in England's Liverpool. That portfolio hands the proposed consortium serious experience in sports investment and club management.
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Ronaldo's stance stays the murky thread as talks over Al-Nassr's ownership rumble on. His absence from the consortium named by "Al-Riyadiah" prompts a big question: have his calculations over taking control of the club shifted?
Leaving Ronaldo's name out of the current moves might be nothing more than a passing twist in the negotiations. It could equally signal that the takeover project once tied to him has entered a fresh phase with different players. The coming days will tell.