Since the start of the winter transfer window, Al Nassr had reportedly set their sights on Cristiano Ronaldo‘s former Real Madrid and Manchester United teammate Casemiro. However, with Anderson Talisca nearing a move away from the club, Al Nassr appears to be shifting their focus, putting an end to their pursuit of the Brazilian midfielder.
Casemiro has struggled for playing time at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system. The Portuguese manager’s arrival has seen the midfielder relegated to the bench, with only six appearances and 11 instances as an unused substitute. A move to Saudi Arabia seemed like an ideal opportunity to rejuvenate Casemiro’s career, but those hopes now seem to be fading.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Al Nassr has initiated official talks to sign Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface. Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran is also being considered as an alternative, though his transfer fee is reportedly higher than that of the Nigerian forward.
Meanwhile, Fenerbahce has announced an agreement with Al Nassr for the transfer of Anderson Talisca. The Brazilian forward is set to fly to Istanbul to undergo a medical before finalizing his move. His departure leaves Al Nassr with a striker vacancy, pushing the club to prioritize adding firepower to their attack instead of strengthening their midfield with Casemiro.
Why is Casemiro out of Al Nassr plans?
At the beginning of January, reports indicated that Al Nassr was willing to make Casemiro one of the Saudi Pro League’s top-five highest-paid players. However, their focus on signing a new striker has effectively ruled out Casemiro, not due to financial constraints but because of foreign player restrictions.
The Saudi Pro League limits teams to 10 foreign players per squad. Following Talisca’s departure, Al Nassr currently has nine foreign players: Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Marcelo Brozovic, Angelo, Otavio, Wesley, Aymeric Laporte, Mohamed Simakan, and Bento. Should Boniface join, the club would reach the maximum quota, leaving no room for Casemiro unless another foreign player departs.
With Talisca’s foreign player slot expected to be filled by a new striker, Casemiro’s chances of reuniting with Ronaldo at Al Nassr are slim. Unless another foreign player exits, the opportunity for the Brazilian midfielder to join the Saudi Pro League giants appears to be off the table.
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