"He has an offer of 600 million dollars" - FIFA agent makes bold claim regarding potential Lionel Messi move to Al-Hilal
FIFA agent Marco Kirdemir recently claimed that Lionel Messi's now controversial recent Saudi Arabia trip was to get a taste of the country ahead of a potential move to Al-Hilal in the summer. Messi has been suspended for two weeks by his club side Paris Saint-Germain for his 'unauthorised' trip to the middle East.
Fabrizio Romano recently reported that the 35-year-old will leave PSG in the summer. There have been widespread reports about Messi making a return to Barcelona. However, Kirdemir brushed those suggestions aside, saying (via MARCA):
"He is not going to Barcelona. He wants to come back when he retires."
Messi reportedly has a mega offer from defending Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League champions Al-Hilal on the table. Speaking about the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner potentially making a move to the Middle-East, Kirdemir said:
"He has an offer of 600 million dollars from Al-Hilal, the King's team. Messi traveled to the country to get to know it, to see the place where he could live; if his family gives the OK he will play in Saudi Arabia."
Lionel Messi moving to Al-Hilal will reignite the greatest rivalry in football history as Cristiano Ronaldo currently plays for the other Riyadh-based team, Al-Nassr.
Kirdemir further claimed that PSG's reason to get angry at Messi was the fact that the player traveled to Saudi Arabia. The Parisians have a Qatari owner in the form of Nasser Al-Khelaifi but Qatar don't share the best relations with the Saudis. Kirdemir said:
"If he had traveled to a country that did not have problems with Qatar, there would not have been so much speculation. This has angered the PSG president."
What is Lionel Messi's record with PSG?
Lionel Messi joined PSG in the summer of 2021 as a free agent after Barcelona were unable to renew his contract due to La Liga's wage cap rules. Messi had a struggling first season in France, scoring 11 goals and providing 15 assists in 34 matches.
He regained his form this season and has scored 20 goals and has provided 19 assists in 37 matches across competitions. Overall, Messi has scored 31 goals and has provided 34 assists in 71 matches.
Given he is suspended for two matches, Lionel Messi might don the PSG colors for only three more games. What the future beholds for the Argentine superstar remains to be seen.