Karim Benzema's Al-Ittihad want to sign Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr teammate this summer: Reports

Karim Benzema's Al-Ittihad are reportedly looking to snap up Al-Nassr midfielder Otavio, a teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo. The 30-year-old has been with the Knights of Najd since arriving from FC Porto two summers ago.

In 84 appearances across competitions, Otavio has contributed 12 goals and 16 assists. That includes a lone strike and eight assists in 40 outings across competitions last season.

Despite being contracted to the Mrsool Park outfit till 2026, Otavio - as per Falah Sport (via Al-Nassr Zone) - has attracted interest from domestic rivals Al-Ittihad, the reigning Saudi Pro League champions.

Last season, Ronaldo and Co. endured another trophyless campaign, finishing third in the league - behind Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal - after successive runner-up finishes.

That saw Stefano Pioli get replaced by Jorge Jesus at the end of the season, with the Portuguese having guided the Knights of Najd's domestic rivals Al-Hilal to the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League title. Ronaldo and Co. will hope to have the same luck as they seek their first league triumph in seven years.

Meanwhile, Benzema contributed 21 goals and nine assists in 29 Saudi Pro League outings last season as Al-Ittihad celebrated a second league title in three years.

How did Cristiano Ronaldo fare for Al-Nassr last season?

Al-Nassr captain Cristiano Ronaldo is coming off a goal-rich 2024-25 campaign, registering 39 goal contributions (35 goals and four assists) in 41 games across competitions.

That includes 25 strikes and three assists in 30 league games, numbers that were down from his previous campaign, where the 40-year-old had amassed a record 36 strikes as the Knights of Najd registered back-to-back runner-up finishes.

Since arriving in December 2022 on a free transfer, Ronaldo is one strike away from a century of goals for the Saudi Pro League giants. The Portugal captain has reached the landmark with four different teams - Real Madrid (450), Manchester United (145), Juventus (101) and Portugal (138) during his illustrious career.

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Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav