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A stormy crisis engulfs Al Alami

Al-Nassr are going through one of the bleakest phases in their modern history. A financial crisis has placed the Saudi club's future under a cloud, and it could end up derailing the whole sporting project.

With talk of massive debts and difficulties in completing new signings, Cristiano Ronaldo's name has once again come to the centre of the debate. This time, it is not his goals or his numbers that are driving the discussion, but a far bigger question than before: has the moment arrived for him to move on?

Put aside Ronaldo's historic importance and what he brings on the field. With Al-Nassr's debts touching 800 million riyals, his continued presence means the situation has turned catastrophic in every possible way.

A project that drained the budget

Ronaldo has transformed the global image of the Saudi league and lifted Al-Nassr's marketing value in an unprecedented manner. But in exchange, he is at the centre of a project that is regarded as the most expensive in the club's history.

The massive salary the Portuguese star earns, along with the benefits attached to his contract, has become a huge financial strain. And this comes at a time when Al-Nassr are facing a clear crisis, one that has left them unable to finalise new deals or even sort out the renewal cases of some of their players.

Talk of heavy debts has now started to surface. The question, then, is a simple one: can Al-Nassr keep running this project at the same cost?

Football is not built around one player

The biggest football projects have shown one clear lesson: long-term success is never based on a single star. It depends on a complete structure of players, a coach and a stable administration.

Bringing the Ronaldo project to an end would release significant financial room for Al-Nassr. The management could then complete more than one meaningful signing and clear part of its financial commitments, instead of putting most of the budget into one player.

Read also: The Saudi federation awakens: 5 million ignites the transfer market and seals a Portuguese deal

The issue, then, is not Ronaldo's technical worth. It is the cost of the entire project compared with the sporting return the team has delivered so far.

What if he had continued?

Ronaldo, however, cannot be blamed for the crisis on his own. He continues to produce strong numbers, remains professional and keeps scoring goals and making the difference, while his commercial appeal gives the club an important source of income.

Retaining the player, though, also means meeting huge financial commitments. Those could restrict the management's efforts to rebuild the squad, especially if the financial crisis is deeper than anyone believes.

The decision, then, will not be only about sport. It will also be economic, linking Ronaldo's future directly to Al-Nassr's ability to come out of their present crisis.

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The hardest decision

If the aim is only to compete for trophies this season, keeping Ronaldo may still make sense. But if the club wants to build a sustainable project that can take Al-Nassr back to the top for years to come, the management may be forced into the hardest decision in its modern history.

Ronaldo's exit would not mean the end for Al-Nassr, just as his stay does not guarantee anything. One thing is clear. The current crisis has opened a door that nobody ever expected to be opened: has ending the Ronaldo project become the answer to save Al-Nassr?