LIONEL MESSI is reportedly closing in on a transfer to move to an unknown club in Saudi Arabia.
And that would see the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner reignite his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Reports last week suggested Messi could be offered a staggering £400million for just one season in the Gulf State with Al-Hilal.
Now French media agency AFP alleges Messi, 35, has held negotiations with a club in Saudi over a “huge” contract with his Paris Saint-Germain deal expiring this summer.
The Daily Mail claim it is worth a staggering £522million.
But SunSport understands Messi will make no decision on his future until after the end of the Ligue 1 season.
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He is fully focused on securing the league title with PSG and then will assess his options.
L’Equipe also state Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo is reluctant to move the family to Saudi and would prefer to stay in Europe.
But AFP tweeted: “Messi’s move to Saudi a ‘done deal’ – source close to negotiations.
“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.”
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The alleged move to Saudi, following Ronaldo’s late last year, would prove a massive boost for the country’s publicity and the league’s promotion.
However, AFP remains unclear which Saudi team are trying to close in on the World Cup winner.
The forward has also been linked with a return to Barcelona as well as MLS side Inter Miami.
Messi’s two-year deal at the Parc des Princes expires next month, two years after his emotional free transfer from boyhood club Barcelona.
And he looks increasingly unlikely to sign an extension in the French capital, especially after initially being suspended for two weeks for his unauthorised promo trip to Saudi.
Remorseful Messi, who returned to training just five days later yesterday, said: “I thought we were going to have a day off after the game as always.
“I had this trip organised and I couldn’t cancel it. I had already cancelled it before…
“I apologise to my team-mates and I’m waiting for what the club wants to do with me.”
Messi spent Monday night with his wife at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Paris, hours after being pictured in PSG training kit on the club’s official Twitter.
He was crowned sportsman of the year after captaining Argentina to glory at Qatar 2022, pipping Max Verstappen, Mundo Duplantis, Rafael Nadal, Steph Curry and PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe to the prestigious gong.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
