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It is still unclear where Lionel Messi will play next season. There is no certainty yet about a contract extension at PSG, so rumors are circulating about a departure.
Vincent Van Genechten
The team most often mentioned in recent months as the next destination of the brand new world champion is Inter Miami. David Beckham’s MLS club has been angling for the services of the 35-year-old American for a while. But according to Mundo Deportivo, there is now also an offer from Al-Hilal, one of the biggest clubs in Saudi Arabia. Yes, the country where Cristiano Ronaldo recently started working at Al-Nassr.
The Catalan newspaper claims that Al-Hilal has 275 million euros a year for Messi. That is more than what Ronaldo earns at his new club, namely 200 million a year. Al-Hilal currently has a transfer ban, but would like to bring Messi in next summer. With Ramon Diaz, the record champion (18 titles) has an Argentinian trainer and with Luciano Vietto, a compatriot of Messi in the striker.
In Saudi Arabia it sounds that Messi’s father Jorge is in the country to discuss a deal. Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr are rivals and always play some kind of equivalent of ‘El Clasico’ in their country.
Messi and Ronaldo may meet on January 19
PSG will play a friendly match against a selection composed of football players from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 19. Cristiano Ronaldo recently signed a million-dollar contract with the latter club. It may therefore come to a new encounter between CR7 and his eternal rival Lionel Messi.
PSG announced on Monday that it will head to Doha on January 17, a permanent destination for the French top club since it came into the hands of a Qatari investment fund in 2011. On January 19, the Parisians will travel to Saudi Arabia for an exhibition game at the King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh. After that, the selection will return to Paris. After all, a match awaits a few days later in the sixteenth finals of the French Cup against an amateur club that has yet to be determined.
Cristiano Ronaldo signed a very lucrative contract with Al-Nassr after the split at Manchester United. He will be there until 2025 and will reportedly earn around 200 million euros a year.
