Messi move to Saudi Arabia likely to be fixed – reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo

After Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi is now also moving to Saudi Arabia. In doing so, he leaves his eternal competitor far behind financially.

Paris/Riyadh – Lionel Messi is back in training with Paris Saint-Germain. Most recently, the Argentine was suspended after he spontaneously spent a day with his family in Saudi Arabia. He could also be drawn to the Gulf state in the summer when his contract in Paris expires. This is reported by the French news agency AFP – and writes of a "blockbuster deal".

For "huge" contract: Messi move to Saudi Arabia probably "a done deal"

Messi, who is currently contractually bound to PSG until June 30, is about to make a move to Saudi Arabia, the agency reports, citing an anonymous source. She has "knowledge of the negotiations" of the seven-time world footballer with the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF, which is behind the coup. According to the informant, Messi's move is already "a done deal. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season."

Around the "extraordinary, huge" contract, only "a few small details" need to be clarified, the source said, before the 35-year-old's move could be announced. The informant did not name a specific salary. According to France's L'Équipe, Saudi record champions Al-Hilal are luring Messi with an annual salary of 500 to 600 million euros.

Could meet more often again in the future: The two superstars Lionel Messi (right) and Cristiano Ronaldo (left), here at a friendly match between a Saudi league all-star team and PSG in January 2023. © Imago / Power Sport Images

In Saudi Arabia, Messi meets Cristiano Ronaldo – and replaces him as the highest-paid athlete

However, it has not yet been decided which club the four-time Champions League winner will finally join. What is clear, however, is that he will probably replace his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who has also been playing for Al-Nassr in the desert state since January, where he collects around 200 million euros a year, as the highest-earning athlete in the world. The anonymous source told AFP that negotiations with Messi "didn't take as long as they did with Ronaldo." After all, the PIF now knows "the recipe for signing world-class players."

The football world can look forward to the duels between the two superstars in the Saudi Professional League. Their numerous duels in the Spanish league from 2009 onwards, when Messi was still playing for FC Barcelona and "CR7" for Real Madrid, are legendary.

Messi is already a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia

Messi, who is already Saudi Arabia's tourism ambassador, recently apologized for his trip to the Arab kingdom. His suspension was subsequently lifted. However, a future in Paris seems to be out of the question. Now it is apparently also clear where "La Pulga", who has recently been increasingly booed by PSG fans, is headed. (wuc)