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Al-Nassr launched an ambitious approach to Pep Guardiola ahead of the manager’s recently confirmed announcement that he will officially retire from Manchester City at the end of the season.
The Saudi Pro League champions’ pursuit opens up the sensational possibility of a historic tactical partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Saudi giants approached the departing man’s main man
Guardiola rattled the football world by officially announcing his summer departure from City, ending a transformative, trophy-laden 10-year tenure.
Seizing this monumental administrative shift, newly crowned Saudi champions Al-Nassr launched an ambitious pursuit to lure the tactician to Riyadh.
After winning the Saudi Premier League and AFC Champions League Two, coach Jorge Jesus has stepped down, sparking further speculation.
Reports emerged that the club offered a staggering world record wage package to unite the manager with Ronaldo, forcing Guardiola’s long-term representative, Josep Maria Orobitg, to publicly clarify the exact nature of those negotiations.
Orobitg rejects record numbers
Amid widespread speculation that Al-Nassr had tempted the Catalan coach with a multi-million pound package worth almost €130m per season, Orobitg was quick to dismiss the astronomical figures.
Talking to Saudi Outlet Okazhe said: “There was contact a month and a half ago, just contact, without any commitment or written offer. It’s not that much money.”
No further talks scheduled, agent says
The call from Al-Nassr is not the only inquiry coming from the Gulf region as football authorities look to capitalize on the manager’s sudden availability.
Disclose secondary discussions with the national setup while remaining realistic about a total agreement.
“There was also contact with the Saudi Arabian Federation about 15 days ago, but there will be no further contact at the moment,” Orobitg added. “At the moment, none of them have a great chance to sign Guardiola.”
Etihad farewell precedes job change for Guardiola
Guardiola takes charge of City for the final time on Sunday when his side host Aston Villa in an emotional season finale.
Once the post-match formalities are complete, focus will shift to his impending leadership responsibilities as global ambassador for the City Football Group.
2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread over three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand on both FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opener between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as will the USA’s June 12 opener against Paraguay (9 p.m. ET).
