Ronaldo OUT, Aboubakar IN: Man Utd to swap strikers with Al-Nassr

James Shearman

• Updated: 6 Jan 2023 12:42 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United have made an offer to Al-Nassr for striker Vincent Aboubakar, according to reports.

Okaz, a Saudi Arabian daily newspaper, claim that both United and Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce want Aboubakar on loan.

For Erik ten Hag's side, the Cameroon international would be a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

READ: Ronaldo’s new manager admits: I wanted to sign Messi!

Ronaldo recently left Old Trafford for Al-Nassr on a free transfer, having fallen out with the club over a controversial interview with Piers Morgan.

The Jeddah-based club now need to sell one of their foreign players to make way, with Aboubakar the most likely to leave.

Aboubakar's stature in the game obviously does not compare to Ronaldo's, but he could be a better option for United in the 2022-23 season.

The 30-year-old scored two goals at the recent World Cup - one of which was a sensational chip against Serbia.

When will Ronaldo make his Al-Nassr debut?

Ronaldo flew out to Saudi Arabia on Monday before his presentation on Tuesday evening.

It was believed that Ronaldo could make his debut on Friday as Al Nassr take on Al Tai in the Saudi Pro League, but an FA ban after an altercation with an Everton fan in October means Ronaldo will have to wait.

A capacity crowd is expected at Al Nassr's 25,000-seat Mrsool Park, but they will only get a glimpse of Ronaldo, who will be watching his teammates from the sidelines.

Instead, Ronaldo could be in action for the Saudi All-Star XI as they face Lionel Messi's Paris Saint-Germain in the Riyadh Season Cup on January 19.

Al Nassr are looking to win a first league title since 2019. They are currently at the top of the table, one point clear of Al Shabab, and will hope to continue that form with Ronaldo in the side.

But the 37-year-old hasn’t played any football since Portugal’s World Cup exit against Morocco, so it may take him some time to get up to speed.