Football superstar Lionel Messi, who currently captains the Argentine national team and recently announced his departure from Paris Saint-Germain, is expected to sign a transfer contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. The signing will take place in Paris in the presence of Al-Hilal officials who are currently in the city.
Messi will then fly to Riyadh within the next two days for the official announcement of the deal. The details of the contract, including the value of the deal and Messi’s salary, have not been finalized yet.
Earlier reports suggested that Messi was considering a mega deal worth $400 million per year from Al-Hilal, which would make him the highest-paid athlete in the world, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s earnings. Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr Club in Saudi Arabia in January. If Messi accepts the offer, it would be a significant boost for Saudi Arabia to have two world football superstars playing in their professional league.
Messi confirmed his exit from Paris Saint-Germain in an interview with ESPN, expressing his gratitude for his time at the club and the opportunity to play with talented teammates. His father and business agent informed PSG that they would be moving on when Messi’s contract expires on June 30. PSG coach Christophe Galtier also confirmed Messi’s departure, and the club announced the departure of Sergio Ramos as well.
It’s worth noting that Messi’s father visited Saudi Arabia earlier to make arrangements for his son’s accommodation in Riyadh. Messi is currently serving as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia. His unauthorized visit to Riyadh last month, where he enjoyed tourist attractions with his family, is said to have played a role in expediting his departure from PSG.
