Alex Telles bolsters Al-Nassr’s defence ahead of friendly with PSG in Japan

RIYADH: Al-Nassr’s pre-season preparations step up a level on Tuesday with a prestigious friendly against Paris Saint-Germain that should not only show how far they have come in recent months, but also how far there is still left to go.

Just being invited to face the French powerhouse in the Japanese city of Osaka shows that the Riyadh club now have a global profile.

The recent signings made by the club, runners-up to Al-Ittihad in last season’s Rohsn Saudi League, show that they are increasingly the match of such esteemed European opposition when it comes to affairs in the transfer market.

Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the biggest names in the world, arrived in the winter but the club’s ambitions have been confirmed with summer signings, the latest being Alex Telles from Manchester United.

The signing of the Brazilian shows that Al-Nassr, and indeed other top Saudi clubs, now can pick up players from some of Europe’s top clubs.

Marcelo Brozovic was last seen captaining Inter Milan in the final of the UEFA Champions League against Manchester City, just last month.

Now the Croatian, regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, is lining up for the Yellows who hope that he will prove to be a significant upgrade as the club look to return to the top of Saudi Arabian football as well as go all the way in the Asian Champions League later this year. Few, if any, continental rivals will have a player to match the 30-year-old.

From the European runners-up to the French runners-up, Al-Nassr then knocked on the door of Lens who finished second to PSG last season.

Seko Fofana knows all about Tuesday’s opposition and the Ivory Coast international has been regarded as one of the best and most consistent