Argentine star Lionel Messi close to joining Saudi club Al Hilal for $400 million contract
- 04 May 2023
Gulf Today Report
The British media confirmed that Argentine Lionel Messi is close to moving to the Saudi League and representing Al-Hilal club, starting next season.
According to The Telegraph, Jorge Messi, the player's father and his agent, began negotiating with the Saudi League management, about the details and duration of the contract, and that the presence of Gary Cook, former CEO of Manchester City, as CEO of the Saudi League, would make him a party to all stages of the negotiation.
The newspaper confirmed that the contract offered to Lionel Messi gives him $400 million annually, with his nomination to represent Al-Hilal Club, the traditional rival of Al-Nasr Club represented by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo receives $165 million annually, with a contract that extends until the end of summer 2025.
Lionel Messi travelled with his wife and children to Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, as part of his engagements as one of the ambassadors to promote tourism in the Kingdom.
The move angered the Paris Saint-Germain club management, which issued a penalty of deducting two weeks’ pay from his salary and stopping him from training and playing with the team for the same period.
Media reports indicated the poor relationship between the Argentine star and the management and fans of Paris Saint-Germain, which indicates that he made the decision to leave the club for free next month, with the expiration of his contract, and not to accept the renewal offer for an additional season.
