Eager to pit Messi against Ronaldo, Saudi club Al-Hilal set to offer PSG star £194 million-a-year deal?
PSG star Lionel Messi's contract at Parc des Princes is due to expire this summer, and he will become a free agent if he does not agree an extension before then.
FollowSaudi Arabia appears eager to pit Lionel Messi against arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo, with reports suggesting that Al-Hilal is preparing to offer a staggering 194 million pounds per year deal to the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star. The 35-year-old's contract at Parc des Princes ends this summer, and if the Argentine does not reach an agreement with the French giants, he will be a free agent.
Jorge, Messi's father and agent who is also a Saudi ambassador, has recently been in Riyadh, which has led to rumours that he may be negotiating a transfer for his son.
According to MARCA, Saudi Arabia is looking to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding Messi's future, with one of their top clubs Al-Hilal gearing up to offer him a mouth-watering deal once their transfer ban finishes at the end of the season.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi's fiercest rival, signed a 175 million pounds per year contract with Al-Nassr in December, and Saudi Arabia is now attempting to persuade the Argentine to follow him by relocating to the Middle East. Politicians are reportedly eager to raise the Pro League's salary cap to make the deal materialise so that Messi may play there.
At the beginning of the year, Messi appeared to be planning to stay at PSG longer after helping Argentina win the World Cup in December. But since then, it appears that the talks have stopped, and it is no longer certain that he will stay in the French capital through this season.
Messi may have hesitated to sign a new contract given the substantial decline in play that the French champions experienced in 2023 and Christophe Galtier's team's elimination from the Champions League.
The two most prominent names in football would be playing in Saudi Arabia's league if Messi were to move there, which would be a tremendous victory for the Middle Eastern nation.
With a combined 12 Ballon d'Or wins, Messi and Ronaldo are usually regarded as the best players of their generation.
When Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia, it seemed as though their rivalry might be put to rest for good. However, they faced off once more in a friendly match in January when PSG played a Saudi All-Star team, and if Al-Hilal can persuade Messi to accept their offer, they may face off frequently going forward.
Ronaldo is by far the biggest name in the division, with eight goals in seven league games for Al-Nassr, but should Messi relocate to Saudi Arabia soon, that position would be tested.
