Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported today that the transfer deal of Lionel Messi to Saudi Arabia has been “completed”, according to what the agency described as “an informed source on the matter.”
From Archive
According to “AFP”, the Argentine football star Lionel Messi will play in Saudi Arabia next season in an “exceptional and massive” deal, according to a source familiar with the negotiations on Tuesday.
The source, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, said, “The Messi deal is done. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season.
Meanwhile, his French club, Paris Saint-Germain, informed AFP separately that the 35-year-old World Cup champion’s contract is still valid until June 30.
A second source within the French club said, “If the club wanted to renew his contract, they would have done so early.”
Recently, Paris Saint-Germain suspended its star player who won the World Cup last December in Qatar, due to his travel to Saudi Arabia without the club’s permission, where he serves as an ambassador for tourism in the wealthy Gulf kingdom.
Saudi team Al-Hilal’s keen interest in Messi has prevailed recently, bringing the star player to a different stage and avid fans in the Middle East.
According to exclusive sources to the Saudi newspaper “Okaz”, Al-Hilal club is close to signing with former Spain and Barcelona national team coach, Luis Enrique, to lead the team in conjunction with the club’s approach to finalizing the Messi deal.
Although the specific details of Lionel Messi’s contract with the Saudi Arabian team have not been revealed, it is reported to be a colossal sum. Experts are awaiting further information on the agreement, which is expected to be one of the most significant deals in football history. It seems that Messi’s future in Saudi Arabia will certainly be a lucrative one.
It is worth mentioning, Saudi Arabia appointed Messi as a tourism ambassador last year, and he visited Jeddah in May 2022. He then returned in January to play a friendly match with Paris Saint-Germain against the teams of Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, where he faced Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Reuters
