Saudi Arabian side Al-Hillal are reportedly set to announce the signing of Lionel Messi on Tuesday, June 6, after Paris Saint-Germain confirmed his exit from the Ligue 1 club. PSG confirmed that Messi will depart the Ligue 1 winners at the end of the season, with this afternoon’s match against Clermont Foot marking his final outing at the Parc des Princes.
SPORT have also stated that Al-Hilal are offering Messi €400million (£345m) per season to play for them which is £170m more than what Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be earning at Al-Nassr. PSG manager Christophe Galtier confirmed in a press conference on Thursday afternoon that the World Cup winner would leave the club this summer, with Saudi Arabia linked as one of his potential destinations.
Messi had been linked with a sensational return to Barcelona, but a source close to Al-Hillal says that a deal with the 35-year-old will be confirmed on Tuesday according to report. The same source states that Al-Hilal are expecting a ‘definitive yes’ on June 6 and that they have ‘prepared all of the necessary paperwork’ to announce his signing on the same day.
‘Clermont Foot will be Messi’s final game at PSG,’ said Galtier. ‘I had the privilege of coaching the best player in the history of football. It will be Leo’s last match at the Parc des Princes.’
The 35-year-old hinted that leaving Barcelona allowed him to mature as a player and some suggest that leaving his comfort zone allowed him to develop the leadership qualities he displayed in winning the Qatar World Cup in December.
Messi joined PSG after a financial tug of war with Barcelona in 2021 and has won a pair of Ligue 1 titles, though the Parisians have not got any closer to winning the Champions League crown they so desire.
Messi had been linked with a sensational return to Barcelona. He has also been linked with a move to Inter Miami. However, Saudi Arabian side Al-Hillal are confident in signing the 35-year-old.
A move to Saudi Arabia would see Messi face-off against his long-term rival and former Manchester United forward, Ronaldo who is currently playing for Al-Nassr. The pair have spent most of their careers locked in a competition – with fans looking at who can score the most goals, win the most trophies, break the most records across the course of their careers.
Messi is said to be interested in a move as Al-Hillal are offering him €400m (£345m) per season to play for their club. Plus, Messi is already a fan of Saudi Arabia – having become their travel ambassador in May 2022.
Now Messi and Ronaldo will be in direct competition. The last time they were playing in the same league was when Messi was at Barcelona and Ronaldo at Real Madrid in Spain at the peak of their powers. Therefore, it would interesting to see them go head-to-head once again.
