As part of the Saudi clubs’ ongoing efforts to strengthen their ranks with the most prominent international football stars, recent press reports have revealed serious moves by the management of Al-Nassr Saudi Club to conclude a high-caliber attacking deal, coinciding with deciding the fate of one of the team’s current professionals.

Al-Nassr targets a replacement for João Félix.
According to the "Topskills Sports" platform, Al-Nassr has placed the talented English winger Mason Greenwood, star of Olympique Marseille, at the top of its priorities for the upcoming period. This proactive move comes as part of the club's plan to compensate for the potential departure of Portuguese star João Félix at the end of the current season. Greenwood's market value is currently estimated at around 50 million euros, reflecting the significant technical value he would add to Al-Nassr's attack.

The battle between Europe's elite clubs and the massive Saudi offer
makes Al-Nassr's task far from easy, given the fierce competition for the player's services. Greenwood is one of the most talked-about names in the European transfer market. He was previously linked with Al-Hilal, who reportedly made a €100 million offer last winter, in addition to concrete interest from Atlético Madrid and internal discussions within his former club, Manchester United, about the possibility of re-signing him. However, the financial offer from the Saudi league could prove decisive, with estimates suggesting the player could receive an astronomical annual salary of between £80 and £100 million.

Greenwood has been delivering exceptional performances for Marseille since joining in the summer of 2024, with statistics showing he has played 68 matches, scoring 44 goals and providing 14 assists, making him a lethal attacking option for any team that secures his services.

John Duran departs for Russia.
On the other side of Al-Nassr's transfer window, the club's management has finalized the fate of Colombian striker John Duran, with reports indicating his move to Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg on loan. The loan agreement extends until the end of the 2025-2026 season, in a deal that will see the Russian club acquire the player for €4 million plus bonuses, with no option to buy included in the agreement.

A notable aspect of the deal is that Al-Nassr will continue to pay the player's hefty annual salary of approximately €20 million throughout the loan period. This decision comes after a mixed spell for Duran, who made 21 appearances for Fenerbahçe this season (scoring 5 and assisting 3), while scoring 13 goals in 20 appearances for Al-Nassr across all competitions, including 8 in the Turkish Super Lig, but failed to lead the team to any titles.

In preparation for an Asian encounter
on the field, the team is currently focusing on continental commitments, as Al-Nasr prepares for an important match this evening against the Arkadag team, within the first leg of the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League 2, in a match through which “Al-Aalami” seeks to confirm its superiority and move forward towards the continental title.

Tottenham Hotspur announced on Wednesday the dismissal of their Danish manager, Thomas Frank, less than eight months after he took charge of the team. This decisive decision came a day after a painful 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United, a loss that deepened the London club's woes and left them in 16th place in the Premier League table, dangerously close to the relegation zone.

In an official statement reflecting the unease within the club, the North London side said: "Results and performances have led the board to conclude that a change at this stage of the season was necessary." This decision presents the club's management with a new challenge: finding the team's sixth permanent manager in just seven years, highlighting the managerial instability Spurs have been experiencing recently.

Disastrous figures hastened the departure

The decision to sack him wasn't made on a whim, but rather stemmed from a series of negative results and the team's worst run in many years. The London club hadn't tasted victory in their last eight league matches, marking their worst streak since October 2008. Statistics reveal the extent of the team's struggles under Frank's leadership domestically, with Tottenham winning only two of their last 17 league games and accumulating a mere 12 points during this critical period – a points tally more befitting a bottom-of-the-table team than one of the Premier League's elite.

The paradox of European performance and domestic failure

Thomas Frank, who previously made a name for himself as manager of Brentford, took over at Tottenham last June, succeeding Australian Ange Postecoglou, and signed a long-term contract until 2028. Despite a disastrous domestic campaign, the Danish manager's sole positive achievement came in European competitions. The 52-year-old guided Spurs to direct qualification for the Champions League round of 16 after finishing fourth in their group (under the new format of the tournament).

However, this European success did little to appease the manager's dismal league record this season, which included seven wins, eight draws, and 11 losses. Adding to the fans' frustration was Tottenham's early exit from both domestic cup competitions; they were knocked out of the League Cup in the fourth round by Newcastle in October and then eliminated from the FA Cup in the third round by Aston Villa last month, leaving the team empty-handed in domestic competitions.

North London stability crisis

This dismissal reopens the debate surrounding Tottenham's lack of managerial stability and the challenges facing the board in developing a sustainable sporting project that will return the team to competing for domestic titles, rather than merely aiming for European qualification or avoiding relegation. Fans are now eagerly awaiting the identity of the next manager, who will be tasked with salvaging the team's league season and attempting a deep run in the Champions League.

In a tactical move aimed at preserving physical fitness and avoiding fatigue, the coaching staff of Al-Nassr's first football team, led by veteran Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, decided to exclude a large number of key players from the squad called up for the match against Turkmenistan's Arkadağ. This highly anticipated match is part of the AFC Champions League, a tournament in which Al-Nassr is determined to compete strongly for the title.

Absence list and special program

Coach Jesus didn't just make the tactical decision to rest the players; he also imposed a rigorous training program on the excluded players to ensure their fitness levels didn't decline. The squad that took to the field was missing 10 big names, most notably the team's captain and Portuguese legend, Cristiano Ronaldo. The list of absentees also included recent signings and established key players: Iñigo Martínez, the solid defender Mohammed Simakan, the dynamic full-back Sultan Al-Ghannam, the talented Saad Al-Nasser, the midfield dynamo Marcelo Brozović, the Portuguese star João Félix, the Senegalese Sadio Mané, the French winger Kingsley Coman, and goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi.

Rotation policy and its importance in the Asian journey

This bold decision by Jesus comes as part of the "rotation" strategy employed by major clubs competing on multiple fronts. With the pressure of domestic league matches and continental competitions, it becomes essential to rest star players to avoid muscle injuries that could result from overexertion. The match against Arkadag presents an ideal opportunity to give playing time to reserve and youth players to prove themselves, thus strengthening the squad and creating healthy competition within the club.

General context and aspirations for victory

The AFC Champions League 2023 takes on special significance this season, as Al-Nassr seeks to reaffirm its continental dominance and expand its trophy cabinet. Despite some key absences, the squad remains packed with players capable of deciding the match and securing the three points, reflecting the significant administrative and technical work undertaken to build two teams ready to compete at any time. Al-Nassr fans are expected to watch the match with keen interest to see the substitutes and how Jorge Jesus's tactical ideas will be implemented in the absence of the big names, while Ronaldo and his teammates continue their specialized training in Riyadh in preparation for the upcoming, more intense matches.