REVEALED: Cristiano Ronaldo fights Chelsea for Barcelona star

Robin Bairner

Updated: 24 Sept 2025 08:21 BST
6 min read

Cristiano Ronaldo, Al-Nassr, Chelsea, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be ambitious for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, going head-to-head with Chelsea in order to sign one of Barcelona’s brightest talents.

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Ronaldo signed a new two-year contract with the Saudi club in the summer. Not only has he continued at Al-Nassr in a playing capacity, but he has been given additional responsibilities in terms of player recruitment.

The Real Madrid and Manchester United legend played a major role in the signing of Al-Nassr while he is also spearheading a potential move for Casemiro.

Current ETV

Cristiano Ronaldo

F (C)

Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo

F (C)

Al-Nassr

ETV Range

€9.4M - €11.5M

But the sights of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner have also been locked on Barcelona in recent months, with midfielder Marc Bernal having emerged as a target for both Al-Nassr but also Chelsea, Mundo Deportivo reports.

The interest from Saudi in the 18-year-old is said to have emerged late in the transfer market. It was quickly shot down, however, with Bernal unwilling to leave Barcelona.

Similarly, Chelsea were unable to convince the teenager to leave his boyhood club to sign at Stamford Bridge. Bernal had been offered a long-term deal with the Stamford Bridge side but would have been loaned out to sister club BlueCo for his first season. It was an offer that was unable to convince the youngster.

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Marc Bernal: Bouncing back from injury

Bernal’s progress in recent months has been thwarted by a cruciate ligament injury that effectively ruled him out for the whole of the 2024/25 campaign. He started Barca’s first three games last season before being struck with the serious injury.

He returned to competitive action against Valencia in a 6-0 win a couple of weeks ago, marking his brief cameo from the bench with an assist for Robert Lewandowski late in the game.

Chelsea and Al-Nassr both seemed willing to take advantage of the situation, with Bernal’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) having dropped to €7 million – a figure that will surely explode in recent months if the teenager can get back to anything close to his best.

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