CRISTIANO RONALDO TARGETS 2026 WORLD CUP
Cristiano Ronaldo's renewal with Al Nassr now seems to be a matter of time. The Portuguese player, in fact, recently spoke with Al Nassr CEO Guido Fienga, a delegation from the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and a representative from the Saudi Ministry of Tourism to discuss the terms of his new contract with his club.
The meeting, which took place just before Ronaldo joined the Portuguese national team, ended on a positive note, with all parties confident that an agreement would be reached soon.
Speaking of the Portuguese national team, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the first Nations League match against Poland, scored his 906th goal, "only" 94 goals away from the historic figure of 1,000 goals. With this potential contract renewal, this figure does not seem to be so impossible: his career could continue, for at least 2 more years, until the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo not only wants to continue to play a key role in Saudi Arabia's ambitious plans for sports and tourism development, but he still has the dream of leading his nation to triumph, for the first time in history, at a World Cup.
In 2026, Ronaldo will be 41 years old, but everything suggests that the Portuguese champion has no desire to retire before that date, perhaps to challenge, for the last time, his historic rival Leo Messi.
MAN UTD WAGE BILL PLANS FOR JANUARY
One of Manchester United's primary goals for the next transfer windows is to reduce the squad's overall wage bill. Casemiro and Antony are players on the fringes of the project and United would like to offload them as early as January. Specifically, for Casemiro, the management feels his salary is no longer justified by his on-field performances, which have fallen short of expectations.
For the same reason, Erik ten Hag has also relegated him down the pecking order in midfield, as his performances early this season have been underwhelming. As a result, both the board and the coach agreed to let him go in January, with United also hoping to monetise his transfer. In recent weeks, the player's agent has held talks with several international clubs, particularly those in Saudi Arabia. However, no concrete steps - in addition to these meetings - have been taken yet.
While there is obvious interest, no club currently views him as a top priority. Anyway, as of now, Saudi Arabia remains the most likely destination, but many hurdles still need to be cleared, making a January departure complicated. The salary demands, coupled with Manchester United's asking price of around €30 million, make negotiations challenging: as things stand, a move in winter seems quite complicated.
NAPOLI CHALLENGE BIG PREM CLUBS FOR AMAR DEDIC
Amar Dedic is drawing significant attention from several top European clubs. His outstanding performances, starting from last season with RB Salzburg, have firmly established him as a solid and versatile defender, now on the radar of many elite teams.
In the Premier League, two clubs have shown concrete interest: Manchester United, who highly value his versatility across multiple defensive roles, and Brighton, who have been closely following the Bosnian player for almost a year. However, in Italy, Napoli appear to be in the strongest position. During this international break, there was a new meeting between Dedic's agent and the Italian club to discuss the player's terms and conditions for a possible transfer.
Napoli, which are currently leading Serie A, are keen to strengthen their squad during the winter transfer window to maintain their position, and Amar Dedic is one of the names on their shortlist. RB Salzburg, for their part, are open to considering offers for the talented defender and have set an initial price of around €28 million, even if this figure is expected to be negotiable, despite his contract expiring in June 2027.
LIVERPOOL WORKING ON RESTRUCTURING DEFENCE
Liverpool are actively planning to strengthen their defence ahead of the 2025 summer transfer window. Their focus is twofold: securing a new centre-back and exploring options for the right-back position. With long-term targets in mind, the club has already begun outlining its strategy for the upcoming season.
In terms of centre-backs, Gonçalo Inacio remains at the top of Liverpool's list, following the unfortunate injury of Gleison Bremer, who was a key target. Inacio’s performances have impressed the Reds’ scouts, making him a main target. Additionally, Liverpool continue to monitor Loic Bade, with the French talent that is considered a cost-effective yet high-quality solution for the defence.
Talking about right-backs, Liverpool are preparing for the potential departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The English player has been heavily linked with Real Madrid, who are working to secure a pre-contract agreement at the beginning of the year, ensuring his free transfer next summer. To avoid being left unprepared, Liverpool have identified several possible replacements, with Jeremie Frimpong emerging as the preferred option. However, they are also tracking younger talents like Michael Kayode from Fiorentina and Vanderson from Monaco, who is highly regarded by other top clubs, including Inter and Napoli.
AC MILAN PLAN FOR MAJOR MIDFIELD ADDITION
AC Milan are internally assessing the possibility of signing a midfielder during the January transfer window. Among the names on the shortlist, is Richard Rios: the Palmeiras midfielder was a top target for Manchester United last summer. United made a concrete approach, offering around £17 million, but the Brazilian club was unwilling to let him leave at the time.
However, the situation may change in the winter window: despite a high release clause in his contract, Palmeiras could now be open to selling Rios for just over €20 million, a figure similar to what United had proposed months ago. AC Milan - who deem this price reasonable - are not alone in their interest. Everton and Fulham have also been monitoring him after his impressive performances, keeping him firmly on their radar.
In addition to Rios, the Rossoneri are also eyeing Carney Chukwuemeka, a player admired by Geoffrey Moncada for his strength and dynamism. Chelsea, who no longer see Chukwuemeka in their plans, are keen to let him go, as recently confirmed by Enzo Maresca. However, AC Milan are only interested in a loan with an option to buy, while the Blues are pushing for a permanent deal or, at most, an obligation to buy. Crystal Palace and several clubs from Saudi Arabia also remain interested in Chukwuemeka after monitoring him over the summer.