Lionel Messi is said to have agreed to a move to Saudi Arabia after his contract with Paris Saint Germain expires this summer.
Naija News reported that Messi joined PSG in the summer of 2021 after his childhood club FC Barcelona failed to extend his stay at the club.
The 35-year-old Argentine football icon has signed a two-year contract with the French giants with the option to extend for another season, but he and PSG have agreed not to extend his stay in Paris.
It is therefore certain that he will leave Paris this summer but his next destination remains unclear with reports claiming that clubs from Saudi Arabia, the Professional Football League and the his childhood kit FC Barcelona is really interested in his services.
Amidst the speculation, an AFP report claimed a source familiar with the denials confirmed that Messi has agreed to join Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal in the summer. The source said: “The contract is special. It is very large. We are just finishing up a few small details.”
Although there are no official details on Messi’s move to Saudi Arabia, Naija News estimates that Messi could earn around 400 million euros per season if he joins Al Hilal this summer.
If that’s the case, Messi will earn almost three times more than rival Cristiano Ronaldo earns (about 176 million euros) at Saudi Al Nassr.
Sources speaking to AFP assert that both Ronaldo’s deal and Messi’s potential deal are funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the largest sovereign wealth funds. with assets of more than 620 billion USD.
The source explained: “The negotiations were not as lengthy as those with Ronaldo. As we know the formula for recruiting world-class players.” “It was Saudi Arabia that brought him not a specific club. Money comes from one place – PIF.