
<p>PSG and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi looks close to joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal next season. The club is offering Messi a staggering $650 million to play in Saudi Arabia. This is reportedly a two-year deal, meaning Messi will make $325 million per year to play in Saudi Arabia. It is far more than the deal <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/cristiano-ronaldo-joins-al-nassr-in-211-million-per-year-deal-20221231-WST-413970.html">Cristiano Ronaldo received from Al-Nassr</a> to play in Saudi Arabia earlier this season.</p>



<p>This report comes out of France from AFP France. The publication cited an anonymous source, who quoted Messi’s move to Saudi Arabia as ‘a done deal,’ and he will be in the Middle East. This allows for one more, likely final, chapter in the storied <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/an-argentina-world-cup-win-will-end-the-messi-ronaldo-debate-20221216-WST-412494.html">rivalry between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo</a>. That dates back to their meetings in the Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del Rey and internationally. </p>



<p>Messi’s interaction with Saudi Arabia is already clear. Most recently, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/psg-suspends-messi-after-skipping-training-to-visit-saudi-arabia-20230502-WST-431439.html">PSG suspended Messi</a> for two weeks after the Argentine made a trip to the country. That was part of his $30 million per year contract with Visit Saudi, the country’s tourism board. The trip, as well as relatively lackluster play and a failure to deliver the Champions League, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/messi-feud-with-psg-clears-player-to-join-barca-mls-or-saudis-20230503-WST-431634.html">created a rift</a> between Messi and the club and its fans.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="fr" dir="ltr">⚽La star du Paris Saint-Germain, Lionel Messi, jouera en Arabie saoudite la saison prochaine, a affirmé à l&apos;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AFP</a> une source saoudienne proche des négociations, qualifiant le contrat d&apos;"énorme" 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/ncLb21IXUW">pic.twitter.com/ncLb21IXUW</a></p>— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) <a href="https://twitter.com/afpfr/status/1655864258838528001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>He will, however, play through the end of his contract with PSG that expires at the end of this season. The club remains the leader of the Ligue Un title race with four games left and a six-point lead. Messi is <a href="https://www.transfermarkt.us/paris-saint-germain/leistungsdaten/verein/583/reldata/%262022/plus/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">second on the team</a> in goals at 20 this campaign in 37 games. Only Kylian Mbappé has more. Also, he leads the team in assists at 19 in all competitions.</p>



<h2>Al-Hilal is the landing spot for Messi</h2>



<p>That talent is one thing Al-Hilal is hunting. The club is in fourth in the current Saudi Pro League season after winning five of the last six domestic titles. However, the club wants to avenge its runner-up finish in the most recent AFC Champions League. After winning the competition for a record fourth time in 2021, the club lost by one lone own goal in the 2022 Final to Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds.</p>



<p>More than his on-field talent, Al-Hilal will grow massively in popularity with the arrival of Messi. Within three days of Ronaldo’s arrival in Saudi Arabia, Al-Nassr’s Instagram follower count grew more than <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-the-toe-poke/story/4845739/cristiano-ronaldo-social-media-power-boosts-al-nassr-instagram-to-over-10m-followers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ten times over</a>. Messi, who carries an even bigger Instagram following than his Portuguese counterpart, could deliver the same output for Al-Hilal.</p>



<h5>Conflicting reports</h5>



<p>The move to Saudi Arabia is looking increasingly more likely for Messi. However, there are different reports about where Messi may end up. With Barcelona and Major League Soccer among the entities vying for his talents this summer, nothing is quite set in stone.</p>



<p>For example, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano responded to AFP France’s claims by stating Messi’s camp will not make a decision until after the conclusion of this season.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No changes on Leo Messi situation. The decision will be made at the end of the season. 🇦🇷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Messi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Messi</a><br><br>Al Hilal bid, on the table since April while Barça keep insisting to find a way with Financial Fair Play. <a href="https://t.co/FdifxWqwX4">https://t.co/FdifxWqwX4</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1655886807815340032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Al-Hilal’s interest in the star is no secret, and the other clubs cannot match the Saudi Arabian’s wealth and offerings for Messi.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Sebastien Frej</em></p>


Lionel Messi is going to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal after the conclusion of this season, according to reports out of France.

Messi agrees deal with Saudi club Al-Hilal for $650 million: report

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<p>Lionel Messi appears likely to depart <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/psg-tv-schedule/">Paris Saint-Germain</a> this summer, with Saudi Arabia, not MLS, perhaps the more likely. The superstar joined the French club in 2021, but his current contract is set to expire in June. Reports are now surfacing that the Argentina international is strongly considering a move to the Middle East. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4916650/lionel-messi-move-to-saudi-arabia-increasingly-likely-after-psg-talks-break-down-sources" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>ESPN</em></a> is claiming that there is a growing confidence that Messi will make the switch to the Saudi Pro League. Should the star forward decide on the Middle East, Al Hilal would be his destination club. Team officials initially had very low expectations of an agreement with Messi when they met with his camp late last year. However, sources tell the news outlet that there is now at least a ’50-50′ chance that the player chooses the Saudi club.</p>



<h5>World Cup winner is an ambassador for Visit Saudi</h5>



<p>Messi already has ties to the Middle Eastern country. He is currently an ambassador for the country’s Visit Saudi campaign. In fact, the Argentine also has <a href="https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/Messi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">his own website</a> for the campaign featuring his favorite places to see in the nation. It was also revealed last month that Messi visited Saudi Arabia for the third time in less that a year. <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/paris-saint-germain--frapsg/story/4896669/lionel-messi-plans-third-saudi-visit-in-tourism-ambassador-role" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">News</a> broke about the trip on the same day as <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bayern-ease-past-psg-and-into-ucl-quarterfinals-20230308-WST-422769.html">PSG was knocked out of the Champions League</a>.</p>



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<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨 Understand Al Hilal sent an official bid to Leo Messi: salary worth more than €400m/year.<br><br>◉ Leo’s absolute priority: continue in Europe.<br><br>◉ Barcelona, waiting on FFP to send bid and open talks.<br><br>◉ PSG bid, not accepted at this stage as Messi wanted sporting guarantees. <a href="https://t.co/FVTDGs4eQV">pic.twitter.com/FVTDGs4eQV</a></p>— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1643325640727310338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>A <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/psg-may-let-messi-exit-for-free-in-summer-opening-door-for-mls-20230330-WST-425958.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">separate report</a> surfaced last week that PSG would likely allow Messi to leave the club this summer. The Parisians are experiencing financial issues and could walk away from the Argentine’s massive contract. PSG have already been fined once for breaching Financial Fair Play rules and could be issued another sanction should they not comply with regulations.</p>



<h2>Messi could end up in Saudi Arabia, MLS, PSG or others</h2>



<p>Despite the Saudi claims, Messi’s entourage recently claimed that the player was still in negotiations with PSG. “We won’t make a public statement, but not only is it clear that Leo and the club are negotiating, but the club want Leo to stay, as the manager (Christophe Galtier) recently said,” a representative for Messi <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11941433/Lionel-Messis-entourage-RUBBISH-claims-World-Cup-winner-heading-PSG-exit.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a> <em>Le Parisien</em>.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that Messi will re-sign with PSG. FFP issues at the club would make it very difficult for the player to remain in the French capital. A move to Al Hilal could make sense, both financially and they are currently coached by Argentine Ramon Diaz. The Saudi club supposedly offered Messi a contract last week as well.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Le Pictorium</em></p>


Lionel Messi is looking more likely to make a switch to Saudi Arabia, despite interest from MLS extending back months or even years.

Messi most likely to move to Saudi Arabia, not MLS, says report

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Leagues: Ligue Un

Messi agrees deal with Saudi club Al-Hilal for $650 million: report

Leagues: Ligue Un

Messi most likely to move to Saudi Arabia, not MLS, says report