SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabia renew Messi interest with ‘mega-offer’ in the pipeline
Recent developments at Messi’s club PSG have aroused the interest the Saudi Arabian domestic league in trying to lure the Argentine to the Gulf.
Recent developments between Lionel Messi with PSG have prompted Saudi Arabia to renew their interest in bringing the veteran striker to the Saudi Pro League. UK based The Telegraph even speculate that the Argentine would net approximately 365 million euros per year, eclipsing what Cristiano Ronaldo earns at his current club Al Nassr. As things stand, Messi will be a free agent as of 30 June with the player being heavily linked with a move back to Barcelona, MLS side Inter Miami and Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government has been working on creating a high profile soccer league for some time. Mohammed bin Salman wants to gather the biggest names in the world, with the likes of Sergio Ramos, Modric, Benzema, Busquets all being courted by the Gulf nation.
The Saudi government would cover the guarantees and finances to fund the operation and then the club in question is decided, although everything points to the team in question being Riyadh based Al Hilal.
Saudi trip fallout
Lionel Messi’s unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia has not gone down well in Paris and reports in France suggest that the Argentine has been hit with a two-week suspension by the club.
Paris Saint-Germain are said to have been shocked that Messi travelled to the Gulf nation during the season, missing club training sessions to appear in commercials in Riyadh. Messi has a lucrative ambassadorial arrangement with Saudi officials.