Amid talk of Cristiano Ronaldo not playing 25% of Al-Nassr matches next season, Jorge Jesus asks club to sign replacement: Reports

Jorge Jesus has reportedly asked Al-Nassr to sign a striker this summer as a backup for Cristiano Ronaldo. The manager is looking to bring in a forward who can step up and deliver when the Portuguese superstar is rested.

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Jesus has asked Al-Nassr management to keep Sadio Mane and sign three players. He wants to bolster the attack with a new forward after the loan exit of Jhon Duran.

The new manager, who has joined on a one-year deal just months after leaving Al-Hilal, wants to ensure he has the right players in his squad for the matches, especially in the AFC Champions League 2. Ronaldo could miss Al-Nassr's away games that need a lot of travel in the AFC Champions League 2 amid reports of an agreement to sit out 25% of their matches this season.

Earlier, Jesus spoke to the media and admitted that he had agreed terms with the club because of the Portuguese superstar. He said (via Record):

"Without his invitation, I certainly wouldn't be there. The motivation will be great. I'm going to try that Al Nassr, which is one of the best clubs in Saudi Arabia, can win titles. Ronaldo is a player who has always won everything where he has played. He has not yet won in Saudi Arabia. I'll see if I can help him."

A report this week suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr were looking to bring in Flamengo left-back Ayrton Lucas and Fluminense winger Jhon Arias. The Saudi Pro League side were left impressed with the duo's display at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States earlier this month.

---

Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr light in attack after Jhon Duran exit

Jhon Duran joined Al-Nassr in January this year to help Cristiano Ronaldo in attack. However, the forward opted to head back to Europe and has already signed on loan for Fenerbahce.

Reports in MARCA on Wednesday suggested that he failed to turn up for training and Jose Mourinho was furious. The Spanish publication quoted the Fenerbahce manager as saying:

"It's disrespectful. There are clear rules here, and anyone who doesn't follow them will face consequences. We'll talk to him when he shows up, if he does."

However, a club spokesperson was quick to rebuff the reports and said:

"The statements made by our manager Jose Mourinho in the foreign press regarding our player Jhon Duran are completely false. Our manager has not made a statement on the matter. Our player arrived in Portugal this evening to join our team's Algarve camp."

Al-Nassr were linked with Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United, but the Argentine has rejected a move to Saudi Arabia. They were interested in bringing Darwin Nunez from Liverpool in the January window, but the Reds did not sanction his move to Cristiano Ronaldo's side.

Edited by Nived Zenith