Unhappy At PSG, Messi Receives Humungous Offer To Join Saudi Club Al-Hilal
Saudi club Al Hilal have offered Messi an annual salary of more than €400 million to join them, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
The club’s potential contract would nearly double the £177m Al-Nassr are paying Cristiano Ronaldo. It would also make Messi and Ronaldo direct rivals again as seen in the past with La Liga.
Messi to Al-Hilal possibile
If Messi were to tire of European football and accept Al-Hilal’s offer, the 35-year-old would immediately be in line to top Forbes’ list of the World’s Highest-Paid Soccer Players. But despite interest from overseas, the Argentine reportedly wants to stay in Europe.
The Argentine left Barcelona in 2021 after they were unable to renew his contract due to La Liga’s wage cap rules. Since joining PSG, Messi has scored 29 goals and provided 32 assists in 67 games.
Unlikely To Extend PSG Contract
Messi’s PSG deal expires in June, and he is looking increasingly likely to leave the French capital, with Barcelona among the teams interested. However, the Blaugrana could be blocked by Financial Fair Play rules.
Messi has been the subject of harsh criticism in recent weeks since taking an exit from the Champions League and was booed for large parts of PSG’s loss to Lyon last weekend. Although PSG are reportedly interested in keeping the player, Messi is yet to respond to their offer as he wants ‘sporting guarantees,’ according to Fabrizio Romano.
Before the Parisians’ 2-0 home loss against Olympique Lyon at the weekend, fans booed Messi when his name was displayed on the boards of the Parc des Princes. Emmanuel Petit, Former French professional footballer who also played for Arsenal, Barcelona, Monaco, and Chelsea, slammed fans for booing Lionel Messi saying “The whistles at Messi are an insult to football. Get out of that club now, Leo. It’s not a football club, but a pre-retirement club, even if you’re 20 years old. No player has ever progressed at PSG, that’s not Messi’s fault.”
Barcelona Trying To Get Messi Back
Barcelona are actively negotiating with the player, and are reportedly drumming up new sponsorships to bring him back to Camp Nou, even confirmed by Manager Xavi and President Joan Laporta.
However, The Catalans are mired in debts and have been publicly warned by La Liga president Javier Tebas that they must shave €200 million ($219 million) from their wage bill in order to buy players and register contracts from current stars such as Gavi ahead of the 2023/2024 season.
