Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi could be in line for a £320million-a-year deal if he opts to trade Europe for Saudi Arabia.
As exclusively reported by Mirror Football, Messi is expected to leave PSG at the end of the season. There had been talks over an extension to the two-year deal he signed upon joining the club in 2021, but the French league leaders now look set to prioritise young talents over older star names.
Messi has been handed a suspension and fine by his club after taking an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia after PSG's league loss to Lorient. While he is expected to have offers from elsewhere, the Saudi Pro League is the source of his most lucrative reported offer.
According to The Telegraph, Messi's representatives have begun talks over a move to Saudi Arabia, with the government said to be involved in discussions. Unlike in other leagues, state involvement is not a novelty for such moves.
The deal could be worth as much as £320m per year - more than the huge numbers surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's move to the same country. One of the potential destinations for Messi is Al-Hilal, rivals of Ronaldo's club Al-Nassr, who were unable to move for Ronaldo due to a transfer ban which is set to expire at the end of this season.
Barcelona have also made contact over a move for Messi, who had spent his entire career at Camp Nou before moving to Paris. Inter Miami have also been linked with a pursuit, with manager Phil Neville responding to links in February, but Barca vice president Rafa Yuste has urged the World Cup winner to return to Catalunya.
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"Leo and his family know the affection we have for them," Yuste said. "I participated in the [contract] negotiations that in the end did not come to fruition unfortunately and I still have that thorn in my side.
"Of course, I would love to see him return and I am sure that many fans share my feeling. I believe beautiful stories in life have to have happy endings and that’s why we are in contact with Messi, of course.
"When you're in love with a person, you lose contact but you want to continue being in love and I think Leo is also in love with Barca and the city of Barcelona. I think fate will make it possible. Let's see if we can have Leo back in Barcelona."
Across his two PSG seasons, Messi has racked up 31 goals and 34 assists in 71 appearances. He scored the goal which brought them the Ligue 1 title in 2021-22 but has been unable to deliver a first Champions League title for the club.
