Saudi Pro League giants Al Nassr have been banned by FIFA from registering new players following a dispute with Leicester. The Middle East outfit sparked the influx of high-profile players coming to the Gulf nation by signing Cristiano Ronaldo last January. They have since brought in Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan as they look to assemble a star-studded squad.
But it appears their summer business is over, which would scupper their moves for Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi.
An official FIFA ruling has stated that Al Nassr still owes 2016 Premier League champions Leicester money over their £ 14 million transfer for Ahmed Musa in 2018.
It has been said that the recently relegated Foxes are owed £390,000 in add-ons, with Al Nassr yet to pay up. The ruling was originally released in 2021, with Al Nassr told they must comply or face a transfer registration ban.
And their failure to pay Leicester has now seen FIFA take action on the nine-time Saudi top-flight champions, as they have been banned from registering new players.
As per FIFA’s original ruling, the transfer registration ban would last for three windows.
According to the Daily Mirror, the Public Investment Fund – Al Nassr’s owners – have insisted they will promptly pay Leicester their owed money in order to lift the ban. Musa was signed by Leicester for a then-club record £16.6m fee in 2016, but he failed to make an impact.
He was shipped on loan back to CSKA Moscow the following campaign after scoring just two goals in 21 Premier League games.
A move to Al Nassr then followed, where he scored 14 goals in 62 matches in all competitions as he helped them win the 2019 league title.
The Nigeria international then made the move back to his homeland to join Kano Pillars in 2021, before returning to Europe to sign for Turkish side Fatih Karagumruk.
Source – TalkSport
