Gerry Cardinale Confirms Al Nassr Talks and Ronaldo's Role

Gerry Cardinale has never hidden his ambition. Now he has admitted it stretches all the way from San Siro to Riyadh.

In a wide-ranging interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, the AC Milan owner confirmed that talks have taken place over a potential takeover of Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr – and that Cristiano Ronaldo is firmly on his radar, not as a player, but as a future power broker.

Cardinale confirms Al Nassr talks

Pressed on reports linking him with a majority stake in Al Nassr, Cardinale did not dodge the question.

“There have been conversations to assess the opportunity of Al Nassr and they approached me to examine it, but we are at a preliminary stage,” he said, making clear that discussions exist but are far from completion.

Cardinale’s business network already stretches across Europe. Through RedBird, he controls Milan and French side Toulouse, and he has long explored the multi-club model that has reshaped the modern game. The possibility of adding one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship clubs, backed by the profile of Ronaldo, would mark a significant escalation.

The Ronaldo question

What truly fascinates Cardinale is not just Al Nassr, but the man who defines the club’s global image.

“I do a lot of work in the Middle East: I'd like to meet [Cristiano] Ronaldo because I'm intrigued to understand what he might want to do when he stops playing and what his future involvement with the Saudi club will be,” he explained.

It is a revealing line. Cardinale is not talking about contracts or shirt sales. He is looking at Ronaldo as a future partner, an asset beyond his remaining years on the pitch, a potential pillar in the club’s long-term structure in Saudi Arabia.

Ronaldo remains the face of Al Nassr and a central figure in the Saudi Pro League’s global push. Any ownership move around the club will inevitably orbit around his plans once the goals dry up and the boots finally come off.

Milan, Toulouse… and what comes next

Cardinale stressed that any move for Al Nassr would have to fit into a broader strategy.

“I will continue to assess multi-club possibilities, bearing in mind that I already have Toulouse and Milan,” he said.

The message is clear: Milan remain the flagship, Toulouse an important piece, and any Saudi venture would be another calculated step, not a vanity project. Cardinale has spent the last few days on the ground in Italy, watching Milan’s Serie A matches against Udinese and Bologna and attending the event unveiling the new stadium project shared with Inter.

His presence has not gone unnoticed. Nor has his insistence that Milan’s sporting project is very much alive.

Backing Amorim and promising January moves

Amid the ownership intrigue, Cardinale also moved to steady the waters around the Milan dugout. In the same interview, he underlined his full trust in coach Ruben Amorim and promised more investment in the squad when the January transfer window opens.

For a fan base that demands both style and silverware, that commitment matters. The owner is not retreating; he is doubling down. Milan’s project, in his eyes, is still in its growth phase, not its decline.

Derby day presence

All of this plays out on the eve of one of the most charged fixtures of the season.

Cardinale will be in the stands at San Siro tomorrow as Milan face Inter in the first derby della Madonnina of the campaign. On the pitch, it is about bragging rights and early-season momentum. In the directors’ box, it will also be a snapshot of where Milan stand under an owner who is simultaneously plotting their future in Europe and sounding out opportunities in the Middle East.

The questions around Al Nassr and Ronaldo can wait. The derby cannot.