Lionel Messi could leave Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer. According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Saudi Arabia would facilitate a deal equal to that offered to Cristiano Ronaldo for his move, and Messi could earn a staggering 220 million euros per season by featuring with the team and being Saudi Arabia’s ambassador.
Rumours sparked after Messi’s father and agent Jorge was spotted in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, although there are those who point out that he travelled there to negotiate commercial deals.
Nonetheless, the news has set the football world abuzz, with fans and pundits alike speculating about Messi’s future.
Lionel Messi is reportedly set to be offered a deal worth £194m per season to move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal after his father was spotted in Riyadh earlier this week. 👀
— BeksFCB (@Joshua_Ubeku) March 15, 2023
— AllFootball pic.twitter.com/KbUMdKJvba
Messi, widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time if not the greatest, joined PSG in 2021 on a two-year deal with an option for a third. However, his current deal expires in June, and he has yet to agree on a contract extension with the French club.
The prospect of Messi leaving PSG has already raised questions about where he could go next. Some have suggested that he could return to his boyhood club, Barcelona, where he spent the majority of his career before joining PSG.
Others have speculated that he could move to another top European club, such as Manchester City or Bayern Munich.
However, the report from Marca suggests that Saudi Arabia could be a real contender for Messi’s signature. The country has already lured Cristiano Ronaldo to its league, with the Portuguese superstar joining Al Nassr for two and a half seasons. Now, it seems that they are keen to bring Messi on board as well.
According to Marca, Saudi Arabia is planning to offer Messi the same money that lured Ronaldo to the country.
🚨 Lionel Messi has not ruled out playing in Saudi Arabia with Cristiano Ronaldo. 🇸🇦
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) March 14, 2023
His father is demanding a salary of €600M with Al-Hilal. 😳💰
(Source: @elchiringuitotv) pic.twitter.com/7Sy8s4LwoC
This means that Messi could earn a staggering 220 million euros per season for featuring with the team and being Saudi Arabia’s ambassador. In Riyadh, they believe that their dream of having both stars in their league could come true, with Ronaldo and Messi playing together in the same league.
Of course, whether or not Messi will actually leave PSG remains to be seen. The Argentinian has been in excellent form for PSG this season, scoring 13 goals in 22 appearances including 13 assists in Ligue 1, he has also scored 4 goals in the UEFA Champions League.
He has also formed a deadly partnership with fellow superstar Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, helping PSG to the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Moreover, Messi has previously stated that he is enjoying his time at PSG and is open to the idea of extending his stay. Speaking to PSG’s official website in February, he said: “I’m very happy. From the first day, I felt very comfortable here. I’m enjoying being in the squad, in the club. I hope we can continue like this.”
Nonetheless, the news that Saudi Arabia could offer Messi a massive deal will sure turn heads.
The football world will be watching closely to see what happens next, and whether or not Messi will be the latest superstar to make a move to the Middle East.
