Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal is reportedly offering Lionel Messi a mouthwatering deal of up to $350 million.
After Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr in a record-breaking deal of more than $214.04 million until 2025, Al Hilal, a rival club, is plotting a potential purchase of Lionel Messi for a whopping $300 million. Messi is currently playing for Paris Saint-German. However, his contract expires in the summer making him a free agent in less than six months, Forbes reported.
Since Messi has cleared his intentions of staying for another year at Paris Saint-German (PSG), Al Hilal is hopeful of a dream transfer next summer when Messi becomes a free agent.
However, Al Hilal is not the only club that is chasing Lionel Messi. Messi's former club, FC Barcelona has also shown interest in getting the footballer back to Camp Nou. Meanwhile, the MLS team - Inter Miami have also believed to have initiated contact with Messi for a possible transfer.
However, Messi has verbally informed PSG about his willingness to extend his contract until 2025. If the deal with Al Hilal happens, it will see Messi overtake generational rival Ronaldo as the world's highest-paid player, WION reported.
In 2022, Messi finished second on Forbes' list of the world's-highest paid soccer players. He had reportedly made earnings of $120 million - $65 million of which came on-field and $55 million off it.
In the list, Ronaldo was third with $100 million ($40 million on-field, $60 million off-field). Messi's Paris Saint Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe took first place in the list with $128 million split into $110 million on-field and $18 million off-field.
Saudi Arabia is currently preparing a bid to host the 2030 World Cup alongside Greece and Egypt. Having two of the greatest footballers of all time starring in their domestic league would swing heavily in their favor.
Later this month, Messi will travel to Saudi Arabia to play for PSG against Al Nassr in a friendly match. The matches between Al Hilal and Al Nassr are considered Saudi Arabia's equivalent of El Clasico between Barca and Real Madrid.
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