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Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr are reportedly trying to appoint Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro as their new sporting director.
The Riyadh-based club has been reportedly in talks with Hierro for a while now and will be advancing to finalize a deal in the upcoming days, as per an X post by @X99i3.
Fernando Hierro has been the sporting director for Liga MX club C.D. Guadalajara since October 17, 2022. He served as Real Madrid's assistant manager between 2014 and 2015. He also coached Real Oviedo from 2016 to 2017, followed by managing the Spain national football team in 2018.
This move by Al Nassr comes after an initial recommendation for a new sporting director from Cristiano Ronaldo fell through. Miguel Ribeiro unexpectedly rejected the offer and also reportedly issued an apology to the club authorities. He was also expected to thoroughly assess the team before signing the contract. The Portuguese has experience of working as sporting directors with multiple clubs, including Rio Ave FC and Famalicao.
As it seems, Cristiano Ronaldo was not the only one who recommended Hierro. Al Nassr's current manager, Luis Castro, also suggested the same.
Al Nassr has been looking to appoint a sporting director since December 2023, following the resignation of former Croatian midfielder Goran Vucevic. The club has been working ever since to fill the vacancy and is reportedly expecting to seal the deal with Fernando Hierro. However, no official announcements or confirmations have been offered by either party.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr's current standing in the Saudi Pro League
Al-Nassr are currently placed second in the Saudi Pro League with 62 points from 26 matches, 12 points less than top-placed Al Hilal. They have one draw, one loss, and three wins in their last five matches.
Al-Nassr will play against Damac on Saturday, April 6, 2024. In their last outing, which was against Abha Club, Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 65th career hat-trick. The match ended in a satisfying 8-0 win for the club.
On April 9, 2024, Al-Nassr will face Al Hilal in the semi-finals of the Saudi Super Cup. The final is scheduled for April 11, 2024.
