Lionel Messi Is Said To Have Agreed To Follow Cristiano Ronaldo To Saudi Arabia, His Team Is Better Than Al Nassr
JAKARTA - Paris Saint-Germain player, Lionel Messi, is again rumored to be playing in Saudi Arabia next season. In fact, there has been an agreement between the Argentine star and one of the Saudi Arabian clubs.
This was conveyed by a resource person to AFP, Tuesday, May 9. "Messi has reached an agreement. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season," said the resource person.
The resource person did not reveal which club the 35-year-old will strengthen next season. However, a number of reports said Messi would join Al Hilal.
"The contract is extraordinary. The number is very large. We have just finished some small details," said the resource person.
"The negotiations don't take much time like Ronaldo. As we all know, it's a way to sign world-class players," he continued, as quoted by Antara.
Messi is currently under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until June 30, meaning he will be free of transfer at the end of this season.
Messi's arrival to Saudi Arabia is expected to further boost the popularity of football competitions in Middle Eastern countries after previously the Al-Nassr Pro League club signed Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Ronaldo himself received a fee of more than 400 million euros (around Rp6.45 trillion) until June 2025 which made him the highest paid athlete in the world according to Forbes.
La Pulga's arrival to Saudi Arabia will also bring him together again with his eternal rival, Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to the resource person, Messi and Ronaldo's agreement was financed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the largest wealth funds in the world with assets of more than US$620 billion (around Rp9.14 quadrillion).
"The Saudi Arabia that brought him was not a particular club. Money came from one place, namely PIF," the resource person added.
Ronaldo's arrival alone did not have an impact that Al Nassr hoped to have on the pitch. They have lost their top spot in the Saudi Arabian Pro League standings and were eliminated in the King's Cup and Super Cup.