Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have offered to make Lionel Messi the world’s highest-paid player in a proposed deal that would eclipse that of Cristiano Ronaldo at rivals Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo completed a stunning move to Riyadh-based club Al-Nassr at the turn of 2023 and earns in the region of £173million per year – comfortably the highest salary of any footballer on the planet. The contract also encompasses his image rights and several contractual responsibilities.
Ronaldo’s long-term sporting rival Messi may also be about to join him in the Middle Eastern nation as his future at Paris Saint-Germain looks more uncertain than ever. Alongside Sergio Ramos, his contract talks have been put on hold by the Ligue 1 giants.
Messi joined PSG on a two-year contract in the summer of 2021 – with his deal up for renewal in June and talks currently stalled. After a difficult debut campaign in Paris, he has netted 18 goals and provided 19 assists this season and has spoken of his happiness at adapting to life in France this term.
However, his future was thrown into doubt with PSG pausing contract renewal talks as they look to avoid further punishment by compromising UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. PSG were one of 10 clubs fined for breaching FFP last year; €10m with a further €45m suspended alongside Champions League sanctions should they fail to comply with FFP going forwards.
A report in L’Equipe has outlined how Messi will need to drop his wage demands at PSG if he is to remain in the French capital beyond this season. Only a wage drop for the Argentine would allow the club to continue complying with FFP demands and avoid sporting and financial sanctions.
Have Your Say! Should Messi leave PSG for Saudi Arabia? Tell us what you think here.
The French newspaper has detailed how the 35-year-old has a monthly salary of €3.375m (£2.98m) at PSG but claims not only is he unwilling to accept a lower offer from the club goings forwards, but he has received a proposal from Saudi Arabia that would make him the world’s highest paid footballer.
Messi’s father, Jorge, travelled to the Saudi capital earlier this month and while it has been claimed that this journey was for commercial reasons – the player is an ambassador for the nation’s tourist board – this trip could also have encompassed transfer talks.
Al-Hilal are observing a transfer ban but believe they will be in a position to sign players this summer. Such a move would pit Messi against Ronaldo in the Middle Eastern nation’s capital – reminiscent of their El Clasico rivalry at Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively between 2009 and 2018.
