Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will play in Saudi Arabia next season under a “huge” deal, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told AFP on Tuesday.
“Messi is a done deal. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season,” said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity and without naming the club.
“The contract is exceptional. It’s huge. We are just finalising some small details,” the source added.
Asked about the comments, Messi’s current club Paris Saint-Germain simply noted that he remains under contract until June 30.
A separate PSG source said: “If the club had wanted to renew his contract, it would have been done earlier.”
Last week, PSG, which is owned by Qatar, suspended the 35-year-old World Cup winner for an unauthorized travel to Saudi Arabia, where he serves as a tourism ambassador.
Following in the heels of his bitter rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed a sizable contract with Saudi Pro League team Al Nassr in January, Messi is anticipated to make his way to the oil-rich kingdom.
According to Forbes, Ronaldo’s contract, which runs until June 2025, is worth over 400 million euros ($439 million), making him the highest-paid athlete in the world.
