Al Nassr Football Club has completed its recruitment of domestic players by signing midfielder Mohamed Abdul Basit, defender Salem Sultan from Sharjah, and right-back Zayed Al Zaabi from Al Jazira, all through free transfers.

Additionally, left-back Abdullah Idris, who was on loan at the club since the winter transfer window, has also joined the team permanently.

In light of these arrivals, the club has indicated that defender Mohamed Abdul Rahman and right-back Youssef Al-Amri are set to depart.

With the domestic players' roster finalized, Al Nassr’s management is now focusing on securing its first foreign player signings, looking for a midfielder and a centre forward due to main striker Ali Mabkhout's commitment to national service.

Al Nassr has also made the decision to reintegrate Colombian player Kevin Agudelo, who had been loaned to Al Wahda.

Agudelo has a contract with the club until the summer of 2026. This move comes after the departure of Dutch coach Alfred Schreuder, who had opted to exclude Agudelo from the squad at the beginning of the current season.

Agudelo had originally joined Al Nassr during the summer of 2023 and was a key component of the team under Serbian coach Goran Tufegdzic, before being sidelined by Schreuder.

In addition to Agudelo, Al Nassr continues to have contracts with Italian forward Manolo Gabbiadini and winger Othman Boussaid for an additional season.

Their future with the club remains uncertain.

Gabbiadini was omitted from the team during the last winter transfer period, with Brazilian Matheus Oliveira being signed in his place due to a third-degree adductor tear.

The Italian striker has netted only three goals in eleven matches this season as a substitute, largely due to the strategy focusing on the primary striker, Mabkhout.

Gabbiadini had previously led the team in scoring for the last season, registering eleven goals and assisting three in twenty-two matches.

Othman Boussaid has had significant playing time this season, appearing in twenty-six league matches; however, his offensive contributions have been below expectations, with just two goals and three assists in league play.

Meanwhile, Al Nassr’s management, led by Hamid Al Tayer, is concentrating on identifying a new coaching staff to fill the void left by Schreuder.

Reports suggest that various prominent names are being considered, including Serbian Milos Milojevic from Al Wasl, who was the initial choice, along with Argentine Matías Almeyda, although negotiations stalled due to financial demands.

Other candidates reportedly under consideration are Italian Gennaro Gattuso, who recently left his position with a Croatian club, and former Al Nassr coach Luis Castro.

However, new updates indicate Gattuso may not be a viable option.

Historically, Eastern European coaches have achieved notable success with Al Nassr, particularly Serbian Ivan Jovanovic, who led the team during two separate stints between 2013 and 2016, claiming three titles: the Gulf Clubs Cup, the Professional League Cup, and the President's Cup.

Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic also secured the Professional League Cup for the club in 2020. Analyst Abdullah Al Shahin commented on Schreuder's tenure as unsuccessful, suggesting that the Dutch coaching philosophy did not align with the club, which relies on rapid transitions and short passes.

Al Shahin recommends hiring a coach from Eastern Europe and considers Milojevic to be an ideal fit due to his pragmatic approach.

He further highlighted existing deficiencies in Al Nassr’s squad, especially in their defense, having conceded forty-five goals this season.

Al Shahin emphasized the need for an elite defender to reinforce the backline, particularly following the challenges faced by Brazilian defender Glober Lima.

Furthermore, he noted the necessity of acquiring another right-back from the resident player pool to optimize foreign player usage while looking to find a replacement for Gabbiadini, who has not been convincing over the past two seasons.