Saudi giants Al-Hilal are reportedly ready to submit a record offer for Lionel Messi in the summer.
The PSG star could eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo as the richest footballer with the biggest football deal in history reportedly on the way.
Al-Hilal are reportedly ready to submit a record £194m-a-year deal to sign the Argentina World Cup winner in the summer.
Lionel Messi’s PSG contract is set to expire at the end of the summer with no greenlights he is ready to extend the contract as things stand.
PSG has been scrambling tooth and nail to pin Lionel Messi down at Parc Des Princes with a new contract but the Barcelona legend is yet to agree on a new contract extension.
Daily Mail reports his father and agent, Jorge, has been spotted in the Saudi capital Riyadh recently, sparking speculations the 35-year-old may be warming up for a summer exit from Paris after the expiration of his contract.
Jorge has a good relationship with Saudi Arabia. He is the country’s ceremonial ambassador and there are reports Saudi authorities may likely leverage their relationship with the Argentine to land a deal with his son in an attempt to repatriate the football legend to the Middle East just as they did with Cristiano Ronaldo.
As per marca, Al-Hilal who are bitter rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, are ready to broker a sensational and lucrative deal with Lionel Messi to lure him to the club.
After returning from the World Cup, Lionel Messi was reportedly keen on renewing his PSG contract. However, the contract renewal talks have stalled between both parties. His PSG future has been marred with uncertainties fueling the rumors linking him to a Saudi move.
The contract renewal deadlock has further deepened with PSG’s form after the World Cup break which culminated in their elimination from Coup de France and the Champions League this season.
Lionel Messi’s potential move to Saudi Arabia could be another win for the Saudi Pro league after Al-Nassr signed Cristiano Ronaldo for a record £175m-a-year deal.
Daily Mail reports Saudi Arabian politicians are working to increase the wage cap of Saudi Pro League players to allow Al-Hilal to broker the deal that will see Lionel Messi emerge as the highest-paid football athlete in the history of the game, £19m more than Cristiano Ronaldo earnings at Al-Nassr.
Lionel Messi’s tentative move to the Saudi Pro League could challenge Cristiano Ronaldo’s status in the league as the biggest name in the Saudi elite division.
Football fans around the globe could also be ready to be thrilled with a twilight version of the old-time rivalry between the two stars in the El-Clasicos when the two Saudi rivals – Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr – square up in Saudi football.
It will be another interesting episode in the career of the two biggest names in football.
This season, Lionel Messi has scored 13 goals with 13 assists for PSG in 22 Ligue 1 games, including 4 goals and one assist in 7 Champions League games.
Cristiano Ronaldo has 8 goals with 2 assists in 7 Saudi Pro League matches for Al-Nassr.
