Lionel Messi will exchange Paris Saint-Germain for a club in Saudi Arabia after this season. The French news agency AFP reports this on the basis of ‘well-established sources’. It is most likely a transfer to Al-Hilal, although there is no certainty yet. Messi has an expiring contract with PSG.
In recent days, the rumors about Messi have increased. The Argentinian star dropped a penalty training at PSG in order to meet obligations in Saudi Arabia. This now seems not only to have had to do with agreements with sponsors, but also with an impending switch. AFP writes that Messi has finally made the decision and that he does not opt for a return to Barcelona, but that he goes for the big money from Al-Hilal.
The details of the Saudi contract offer have already leaked out. It stated that Messi can earn about four hundred million euros a year at the number four of the Saudi league. Al-Nassr, the club where Cristiano Ronaldo has been playing since last winter and where the Portuguese earns two hundred million euros a year, is second, five points behind leader Al-Ittihad. Due to the upcoming transfer of Messi to Saudi Arabia, the two best footballers of the past decades will meet again. This has happened before in the Spanish league, when Ronaldo played for Real Madrid and Messi defended the colors of Barça.
Messi’s departure from Paris comes as no surprise after last week’s events. After missing penalty practice, the Argentine world champion was given a disciplinary suspension and PSG fans expressed their anger by singing unflattering songs about the attacker. Later, Messi came up with an apology video, but the damage was already done. This season, the small dribbler played 37 official games for the Parisians, scoring twenty times and providing nineteen assists.
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