Al-Hilal plot move for PSG superstar Neymar after missing out on Lionel Messi - Reports
Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal have turned their attention towards signing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Neymar after missing out on Lionel Messi, according to CBS Sports.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia are busy making marquee additions to their teams after the country intensified efforts to boost its global image and bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Al-Nassr led the way by roping in Cristiano Ronaldo in December, while Al-Ittihad signed Karim Benzema from Real Madrid last week.
Al-Hilal, meanwhile, are still scouring the market for their marquee signing. They were hopeful of signing Messi after offering him a deal worth over €400 million a year. However, the Argentinian icon eventually turned them down in favor of a move to Major League Soccer club Inter Miami.
The 18-time Pro League champions are now on the lookout for alternatives and have turned their attention towards Neymar. According to the aforementioned source, Al-Hilal officials have flown to Paris to discuss the potential signing of the PSG superstar.
PSG would encourage any approach for the Brazil international, whose contract runs till 2025, as they are keen to part ways with him. Hence, it's up to the player to decide if he wants to move to the middle east.
Al-Hilal are determined to find out of Neymar is open to swapping Les Parisiens for the Saudi Arabian club. They're prepared to offer him a package similar to what Ronaldo is getting at Al-Nassr. The Portuguese icon is said to be earning €200 million a year at Mrsool Park.
Furthermore, Al-Hilal are reportedly ready to offer PSG a transfer fee of €45 million although they're yet to open talks. The French giants would want a hefty sum for the forward after spending €222 million to sign him from Barcelona in 2017.
It's possible that Neymar could prefer to stay in Europe, but the Brazilian has struggled to find takers for himself in the continent.
Neymar could follow Lionel Messi out of PSG
Lionel Messi joined PSG from Barcelona on a free transfer in 2021. He bagged 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 appearances across competitions for the Parisians and helped them win three trophies.
However, the Argentinian failed to win over fans, as he failed to fire the French giants to UEFA Champions League glory. He, thus, decided not to extend his deal with the club beyond this season and opted to join Inter Miami.
Neymar could now follow the seven-time Ballon d'Or out of the Parc des Princes. Like Messi, the Brazilian has also often been the subject of criticism from PSG fans and pundits. Fans hurled chants against the superstar in front of his home in France last month.
Hence, the Brazilian could be tempted to leave the Paris outfit despite previously expressing his desire to see out his contract. With clubs in Europe seemingly not interested, a move to Al-Hilal could make sense for him.