Overview
- Al-Nassr named their squad without Cristiano Ronaldo, and multiple outlets report he made himself unavailable to protest PIF's transfer backing relative to rival clubs.
- Ronaldo had no injury or fitness issue reported, and his team won 1-0 at Al Riyadh to remain a point behind leaders Al Hilal.
- ESPN reported that after an earlier hold by authorities, Karim Benzema completed an 18-month move from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal on deadline day, with related deals for N'Golo Kanté and Youssef En-Nesyri progressing.
- Al-Nassr's only January addition was 21-year-old Iraq midfielder Haydeer Abdulkareem, and coach Jorge Jesus cited a lack of foreign-player slots and financial constraints.
- Reports also point to reduced powers for sporting director Simão Coutinho and CEO José Semedo at Al-Nassr, while Ronaldo remains under contract through June 2027.