Global scandal, because of FIFA, Liverpool could lose its top player

Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr, home to five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, will not be allowed to make signings until it settles its debts, putting a brake on the oil-rich country's sporting ambitions, FIFA said on Thursday. The Saudi team "is currently prevented from registering new players due to unpaid debts," a FIFA spokesman told AFP, confirming a report in British newspaper The Mirror.

The world body did not specify the amount and origin of the debts, the start of the ban or whether it affects the signing of Inter Milán Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, who signed for Al-Nassr in early July. The bans in question will be lifted as soon as payment of the debts has been confirmed by the creditors," the spokesman added. Al-Nassr, who have secured the services of Botafogo's Portuguese coach Luis Castro this summer, have Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, Brazilian midfielder Luiz Gustavo and Argentine winger Gonzalo Martinez in their squad.

In October 2021, the FIFA Players' Status Committee ordered Al-Nassr to pay England's Leicester 460,000 euros plus interest in a dispute over the transfer of Nigerian Ahmed Musa, which was concluded for a total of 18 million euros. In case of non-payment, Al-Nassr could be deprived of the possibility of signing for up to three seasons. Backed by the Gulf state's sovereign wealth fund, the Saudi Pro-League is attracting big names from Europe's top leagues with the promise of high salaries.

The departing star

Although Al Nassr is the most financially powerful team in Arabia, with this sanction, other clubs have been encouraged to bid for world stars and try to compete with the Cristiano Ronaldo-led squad. Thus Al Ettifaq are willing to take Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, offering to make him the fifth highest paid player in the world at 700,000 a week.