Al Nassr are set to offer Cristiano Ronaldo a new contract that will cement his status as the highest-paid player in world football as well as see him take a minority stake in the Saudi club, according to reports.
Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Nassr have proposed a one-year extension to the 39-year-old's contract that expires this summer. Both Marca and the Daily Mail reported that Ronaldo's new deal is worth €200 million as well as a five per cent stake in the Riyadh club.
Nassr are one of four teams owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which has a 75 per cent stake in the club, as well as rivals Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and Al Hilal.
Nassr shook the football world two years ago with the announcement they had signed Ronaldo as a free agent after the Portuguese superstar had his contract at Manchester United terminated in December 2022.
His arrival has paved the way for a flood of others to move to the kingdom including 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, Brazil forward Neymar and two-time African player of the year Sadio Mane.
The former Sporting, Real Madrid and Juventus player is largely credited with transforming the Saudi Pro League into a global brand and has also helped promote the country's tourism as well as attended high-profile events outside of football such as boxing and UFC.
Following Saudi Arabia's successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup, Ronaldo backed the kingdom to deliver "the best World Cup ever".
Ronaldo has enjoyed a prolific spell during his two-year stint in Riyadh, netting 81 goals in 90 games across competitions, though he is yet to win a major trophy with only the lightly regarded 2023 Arab Club Champions Cup to show from his time in Saudi Arabia.
Nassr and Ronaldo's trophy prospects this season are looking increasingly thin. They sit third in the league table, 12 points behind joint leaders Al Hilal and Al Ittihad who have both played a game more.
Nassr are already of out the King's Cup, leaving the AFC Champions League Elite competition as their only realistic prospect of a trophy this season. Nassr are currently third in the revamped competition.
Ronaldo is the most prolific goalscorer in the history of men's football, netting more than 900 times in over 1,200 games including 135 goals in 217 appearances for Portugal.
He is the only player to have scored over 100 goals in three of Europe's top leagues (Premier League, La Liga and Serie A) and has won 30 major titles.
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
