Al-Nassr has appointed Luís Castro as their new head coach, reuniting the Portuguese manager with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League. The announcement came on Thursday from the club's preseason training camp in Portugal, though the contract duration remains undisclosed.

Castro's arrival follows a flurry of high-profile managerial appointments in the Saudi league this week, including Jorge Jesus at Al-Hilal and Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.

The 61-year-old Castro brings a wealth of experience, notably his two-year stint with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. During that time, he orchestrated memorable victories against Real Madrid in the 2020-21 Champions League group stage. Most recently, Castro managed Botafogo in Brazil.

Castro's immediate task will be guiding Al-Nassr through the Asian Champions League qualifying playoffs next month. The team secured second place in the Saudi Pro League last season, trailing behind Al-Ittihad, which was led by Portuguese manager Nuno Espírito Santo.

Al-Nassr saw a change in leadership last season, with Rudi Garcia initially at the helm, followed by interim coach Dinko Jeličić. The club is now one of four Saudi teams under majority ownership by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with reported assets of approximately $700 billion.