Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia extends an offer to Messi.
Lionel Messi has officially accepted an offer to play for Saudi Arabian club al-Hilal next season. A source close to Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain told Reuters on Thursday.
According to the source, Messi has only ever received an offer from the Saudi club. The offer, according to Argentine media, is valued at about $400 million annually.
An inquiry for comment made outside of regular business hours did not immediately receive a response from Al-Hilal.
Also mentioned as a possible fit for Messi is Inter Miami of Major League Soccer in the United States. Messi has also been linked in the media with a move back to his old team Barcelona.
According to the French sports daily L’Equipe, he was suspended by his current club Paris St. Germain. The suspension came at the beginning of the week after taking an unapproved trip to Saudi Arabia. PSG also decided not to exercise an option to renew his contract for a third season.
Messi serves as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia. While Cristiano Ronaldo, a longtime rival, signed a contract with the Saudi club al-Nassr in December. He is reportedly worth about $220 million annually.
Messi was suspended after telling PSG he would leave Paris after this season. He felt the team lacked a project, according to a second source close to the forward who spoke to Reuters.
The source also said that PSG had no scheduled workouts for Monday and that the decision to hold one came only after Messi had left for Saudi Arabia.
A PSG insider denied this, telling Reuters Messi left without the French club’s consent. And despite the fact that there was a scheduled workout for Monday.
The source remained mum when asked if Messi had already informed PSG that he intended to leave at the end of the current campaign.
Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia extends an offer to Messi.
