Lionel Messi is seriously considering a move to Saudi Arabia when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires this summer. The Argentine could join Al Hilal, the local rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, as reported by ESPN. Senior figures in the effort to bring Lionel Messi to the Middle Eastern country had initially thought they had no more than a remote possibility of convincing the former Barcelona star to follow Ronaldo to Riyadh after beginning negotiations with him and his representatives late last year.
But ESPN now claim that after conversations with the player’s camp in Saudi Arabia last month, there is now an increasing possibility that Messi, 35, who leads the Visit Saudi tourist campaign, will move to the Saudi Pro League, putting the probability of a move as high as “50-50”. The report further adds an extension on Messi’s two year deal which he penned in 2021 at Parc des Princes is highly unlikely.
Lionel Messi wants PSG exit after Champions League failures and fans outrage
Lionel Messi’s PSG contract expires at the end of the current season, and ESPN report the 35-year-old is against penning a new deal at the club. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is apparently unhappy over a number of issues at the club, the first being their consistent failure to build a team capable of competing for the Champions League. PSG have been unable to get beyond the round of 16 in the European competition since Messi arrived in 2021.
They were dumped out of the tournament this year by Bayern Munich on a 3-0 aggregate score. However, the PSG ultras pinned the blame on Messi, booing him almost every game he played for the club post the Champions League exit. The Argentina captain was fiercely whistled at by home fans ahead of the Lyon game, and boos could be heard from the stands whenever he touched the ball, suggesting that the club’s supporters’ attitude has changed.
The fact that PSG struggled to a one-goal home defeat did not lift the spirits either. As a result, Messi has reportedly decided not to continue with the French champions, and rather accept a move to Saudi, where Al-Hilal are waiting for his green signal. According to reports, he has been offered a contract by the Saudi Arabian club worth £350 million year.
After learning this week that Lionel Messi is close to leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the Middle Eastern side, a rival of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, made the bumper offer to the Argentine icon’s camp in a bid to lure him out of Europe. Given the opportunity, Messi and Ronaldo could resume their rivalry in the Middle East, where there is still significant funding for athletic endeavours.
While the door is open for potential suitors to make their offers, Messi’s former employers Barcelona too are fancying their chances. Two years after his devastating departure, which was prompted by the team’s well-publicized financial problems, they have already announced that negotiations to re-sign their all-time topscorer have taken place with his father and agent, Jorge. And since they boast their European status, Barca believe they have a significant advantage over Al Hilal.
Lionel Messi may yet sign a deal to continue for a third season with PSG, but he wants assurances about the French powerhouse’s sporting ambitions after failing to lift the elusive Champions League title once again this year. Barcelona hope to bring him back to Catalonia despite the fact that their financial problems have not yet been entirely handled. Elsewhere, Al-Hilal are confident that they will help the nation boost their image by landing another superstar, with the World Cup winner too considering switching continents after winning it all in a career filled with trophies.