Viral Footage Shows Portuguese Star Joining Al Nassr Pre-Season Camp Before Official Announcement. Fans Buzz as Felix Links Up With Ronaldo, Signalling Imminent £26M Saudi Pro League Move
July 29, 2025: Portuguese midfielder Joao Felix, 25, has been spotted training with Al Nassr in their pre-season camp in Austria, signaling an imminent transfer to the Saudi Pro League club, even before an official announcement.
Videos circulating on social media show Felix alongside compatriot and global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, raising eyebrows in the football world.
Joao Felix Joins Cristiano Ronaldo for Al Nassr Training Ahead of Official £26M Transfer
The move, reportedly for an initial £26 million from Chelsea, will see Felix link up with Ronaldo at the Riyadh-based club. While Al Nassr has yet to make a formal statement, Felix’s presence in training strongly suggests the deal is finalized, pending medicals and official paperwork. Reports indicate that Cristiano Ronaldo himself played a pivotal role in convincing Felix to make the move, emphasizing that playing together in 40-50 matches next season would significantly enhance their on-field understanding, benefiting the Portuguese national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Should the transfer be officially confirmed, it will mark the first time Joao Felix and Cristiano Ronaldo play together at the club level, creating one of the most exciting attacking partnerships in the Saudi Pro League.
Felix’s journey to Al Nassr follows a challenging period in Europe. After struggling to consistently break into Enzo Maresca’s first team at Chelsea, where he signed permanently last summer for around £45 million, he spent the second half of the 2024-25 season on loan at AC Milan, where he registered three goals in 19 appearances. Prior to his permanent move to Chelsea, he had spent a loan spell at Stamford Bridge in 2023.
Felix remains the third most expensive transfer ever by initial fee, having cost Atletico Madrid a staggering £113 million from Benfica in 2019 at just 19 years old. Despite his immense talent, Lisbon-based journalist Marcus Alves noted that “The feeling back home is that Felix has officially given up on being a truly top-level international player,” as he heads to Saudi Arabia at the age of 25.
Having emerged from the Benfica academy, Felix became the youngest footballer to debut for Benfica B at 16, and burst onto the first-team scene in August 2018 with a brilliant second half of the season. His lucrative two-year deal with Al Nassr is reported to be worth up to €70 million.