The Saudi Al-Hilal has made an official offer to Lionel Messi. Fabrizio Romano reports this on Tuesday evening. According to the transfer expert, the 35-year-old Argentinian can earn more than four hundred million euros a year at the current number four of the Saudi league. In comparison: Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly earns around two hundred million euros a year at Al-Nassr.
Monday night knew L’Equipe to report that Messi will almost certainly leave Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season. The star attacker is too much of a burden on the Parisians’ budget and can only stay if he settles for a decent salary reduction. Messi is now strongly linked to a return to Barcelona, the club where he left in mid-2021.
?? Understand Al Hilal sent an official bid to Leo Messi: salary worth more than €400m/year. ? Leo’s absolute priority: continue in Europe. ? Barcelona, waiting on FFP to send bid and open talks. ? PSG pray, not accepted at this stage as Messi wanted sporting guarantees. pic.twitter.com/FVTDGs4eQV
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 4, 2023
So now there is an option: Al-Hilal. However, whether the Argentinian likes that is very much the question. According to Romano, Messi absolutely wants to continue playing football in Europe. In that light, the switch to Barcelona seems more logical, but the Catalans must first see what is possible according to the Financial Fair Play rules. A longer stay in Paris therefore seems to be out of the question in any case.
After the World Cup in Qatar, the latter still seemed the most realistic scenario for Messi. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had verbally agreed with PSG on a contract extension, which only had to be finalized on paper. However, the salary issue was not discussed at the time. Messi has been active in Paris since the summer of 2021 and has since produced 29 goals and 32 assists in 67 matches across all competitions. On Sunday he was still whistled by his own fans after the loss at home against Olympique Lyon (0-1).
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