Lionel Messi moved to PSG two years ago after winning all possible titles for Barcelona in club football. Despite not having a good time in Paris, the Argentine legend turned the only blemish in his career by winning the elusive World Cup last December.
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Many thought Messi would return to Barcelona to enjoy the twilight of his career after catapulting himself into the ranks of the greatest of all time. But in reality that possibility is practically gone. Next month, after the two-year contract with PSG, Messi will close the door of Europe and set up a tent in Saudi Arabia like his arch rival Cristiano Ronaldo!
Although Messi's father George Messi later wrote on Instagram, "My son has no contract with any club for the next season. That is unlikely to happen before finishing the season with PSG. We will make a decision at the end of the season. Messi's father also works as his son's agent.
Although there was no official announcement, the news agency AFP reported on Tuesday, citing a Saudi source, that the 36-year-old Messi is going to join a club in Saudi Arabia in a huge deal. The source involved in the deal told AFP on condition of anonymity, "Messi's deal is done. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season. This is a special deal of huge amount. We are now on the way to arrange the work.
The source confirmed the news of the deal but did not reveal the name of the club. However, it has already been known that the Saudi club Al Hilal has offered a record 400 million euros per year to get Messi. PSG banned Messi for two weeks last week after traveling to Saudi Arabia without the club's permission. Everyone thought Messi's visit was as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia.
Discussions later began about the possibility of Messi staying in Paris, forgetting the bitterness of returning to PSG training amid the ban. When AFP contacted PSG yesterday, the French club said Messi was their contracted player until June 30. However, a PSG source told AFP, "If the club wanted to renew his contract, it would have been done by now."
Last January, Ronaldo, another leader of modern football, joined the Saudi club Al Nasr in a contract worth 200 million dollars a year.
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