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Lionel Messi to accept offer to join Saudi club after PSG deal expires: Reports

The formal offer from Al Hilal – reigning champions of the Saudi Pro League and city rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr – is worth around $400 million a year

Published: Mon 8 May 2023, 5:15 PM

Updated: Mon 8 May 2023, 10:52 PM

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AFP

AFP

Rumours of superstar footballer Lionel Messi leaving current club Paris St Germain for Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal next season have been rife for a while now, with Messi's two-week suspension from PSG last week following an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia helping to ignite the rumour mill afresh.

The suspension comes at a particularly delicate time, given conjecture that the French club had hoped to extend the Argentine star’s contract beyond this season.


According to media reports, last week, Messi received a formal offer from Al Hilal – reigning champions of the Saudi Pro League and city rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr – worth around $400 million a year. A source close to Argentina's World Cup-winning captain added that the offer from the Saudi club is the only one Messi has received so far.

A second source close to him added that his suspension from PSG was imposed after the forward told the club he would not stay in Paris following this season, expressing his feeling that the club lacked a project.

Now, however, according to El Chiringuito, Messi is reportedly set to accept the offer from Al Hilal. The report adds that his former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets will join him at Al Hilal as a free agent, while Jordi Alba will also make the move if he can negotiate a deal to end his current contract with Barca.

Barca, Messi's former club, and Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, have both publicly stated that they would be open to signing Messi if a deal could be made to work.

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