
Audio By Carbonatix
Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club, Al Nassr, are banned from registering new players until they settle a debt with Leicester City, FIFA said on Thursday.
Al Nassr were ordered to pay Leicester €460,000 ($513,000) plus annual interest of 5% in an October 2021 ruling by a FIFA-appointed judge at its players' status committee.
Leicester filed the complaint in April 2021 because of unpaid additional clauses due from the €18m ($20m) sale of Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa in 2018.
Al Nassr -- which was taken under majority ownership last month by the $700 billion sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund -- can still sign new players though not register them to play.
"The club Al Nassr is currently prevented from registering new players due to outstanding debts," FIFA said Thursday. "The relevant bans will be lifted immediately upon the settlement of the debts being confirmed by the creditors concerned."
Al Nassr's signing of Ronaldo as a free agent in January sparked an unprecedented spree of spending by clubs in the Saudi Pro League, with four now majority-owned by PIF. The fund is chaired by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Al Nassr signed Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic this month from Inter Milan in a transfer reportedly valued at €18m ($20m).
Al Nassr are in Portugal on a preseason training camp. On Aug. 22, they have a qualifying playoff in the Asian Champions League. Al Nassr will host Shabab Al Ahli of United Arab Emirates or Jordan's Al Wehdat.
Musa left Riyadh-based Al Nassr in 2020 and played last season with Sivasspor in Turkey.
Latest Stories
-
‘Abrogate the contract, refund deducted funds’ – Sulemana Braimah tells NASPA
26 minutes -
NASPA clarifies GH¢60 deduction, says fee was meant to be GH¢15 monthly
30 minutes -
Flux Power & Automation launches smart energy management system to help Ghanaian businesses cut electricity costs
33 minutes -
Consortium in talks to buy Liverpool minority stake
35 minutes -
NASPA suspends capacity building programme after concerns over allowance deductions
38 minutes -
Global drug threats emerging rapidly through technology – NACOC D-G
44 minutes -
Wontumi conviction: History has been made; political protection for illegal miners over – Inusah Fuseini
44 minutes -
No sirens or police escorts without approval, Speaker Bagbin tells MPs
47 minutes -
Challenging Heights selected for FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund to support child trafficking survivors
59 minutes -
Italy proposes 3,000 hectare mechanised cocoa farm as COCOBOD explores new partnership
1 hour -
Adu Boahene trial: EOCO investigator says no complaint sparked GH¢49.1m probe
1 hour -
Photos: Mahama meets global health leaders to discuss Africa’s health sovereignty
1 hour -
President Mahama discusses health-related matters with top UN officials
1 hour -
SABC apologises after falsely linking Ghana to Ebola outbreak
1 hour -
Ecobank, Mantrac Ghana partner to boost equipment financing for local businesses
1 hour