Optimism is growing in Saudi Arabia that Lionel Messi will chose to make €1 billion move to the Pro League once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires, with the World Cup winner to be given his pick of the league's top clubs. Representatives of the 35-year-old superstar are understood to have met with three potential clubs: Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, as well as Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
CBS Sports sources in Saudi Arabia have expressed confidence that he will ultimately follow in the footsteps of his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo in joining the Pro League. Indeed, the option for the two to play alongside each other will be open to the Argentine, who could earn €1 billion in total across a two-year contract in the country.
That potential deal would well eclipse even the €200 million-a-year pact Cristiano Ronaldo is currently on in Saudi Arabia and is almost certainly beyond the reach of his other suitors, Major League Soccer's Inter Miami CF and his former club Barcelona. The MLS side is reportedly prepared to offer Messi an ownership stake to sweeten their offer while Barcelona face a challenge to even clear salary space for him due to La Liga's salary cap mechanism.
No deal has yet been finalized. Messi's agent and father Jorge released a statement on Tuesday confirming that a decision would only come at the end of the season. "There's absolutely nothing agreed with any club for next season," he said. "We will decide at the end of the season. Nothing is signed, agreed or verbally agreed. Only fake news using Leo's name."
🚨🔴 Jorge Messi official statement.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 9, 2023
“There’s absolutely NOTHING agreed with any club for next season. We will decide at the end of the season”.
“Nothing is signed, agreed or verbally agreed. Only fake news using Leo’s name”. pic.twitter.com/eJQOsBerGp
There is, however, optimism in the Saudi game that they will win the race. Deals of this magnitude ultimately involve the mechanisms of the state as much as they do individual clubs and a source close to negotiation has indicated that Messi has not expressed any particular view as to which club he would join.
A source close to the talks told CBS Sports that Messi had expressed a desire to play in December's Club World Cup, a place at which is reserved for the Saudi champions. With four games remaining Al Ittihad hold a five-point lead at the top of the table.
Messi is a Saudi ambassador for tourism. He was suspended by Paris Saint-Germain last week after travelling to the kingdom on the day after their 3-1 loss to Lorient. Though he subsequently returned to training a week earlier than had been initially intended there has been no indication that PSG will change their decision not to offer him a new contract.
Meanwhile, Al Nassr continue to negotiate with Zinedine Zidane to become their new manager, talks that were revealed by CBS Sports last month. The Riyadh club had hoped to appoint him immediately after the sacking of Rudi Garcia but Zidane has opted to wait until the summer before making a decision.
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