Al Hilal had ‘private jets waiting in Paris to whisk Lionel Messi to Riyadh’ before seven-time Ballon d’Or winner SNUBBED the Saudi Pro League and Barcelona for Inter Miami
- Al Hilal reportedly had private jets ‘waiting in Paris’ to take Leo Messi to Riyadh
- It comes as Messi looks set to announce a move to David Beckham’s Inter Miami
- Reports also suggest that he has also snubbed a move to join old side Barcelona
Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal reportedly ‘had private jets waiting in Paris’ to fly Lionel Messi back to Riyadh.
Much speculation has been circulating over his next move, with the seven-time Ballon dO’r winner being heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.
But today it appears that he will snub a gigantic £2billion move to Saudi Arabia, and a transfer back to his former club Barcelona, with Fabrizio Romano reporting today that the 35-year-old will announce a move to Inter Miami instead ‘in the coming hours.’
It also appears, according to CBS Sports, that Al Hilal reportedly ‘had private jets waiting in Paris for Messi and in Barcelona for his father Jorge’ ready to take him to Riyadh.
It comes as Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema also announced he would be moving to the Saudi Pro League, joining up with Al-Ittihad in an enormous £258million deal that will see the 35-year-old join for three years and earn a whopping £86m per season.
Lionel Messi looks set to join David Beckham’s side Inter Miami instead of opting for a move to Al Hilal
Karim Benzema signed for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad earlier this week in a gigantic three-year deal that could be worth around £258million
It looks like he’ll also be joined by his compatriot and fellow World Cup winner N’Golo Kante who today completed a medical in London ahead of a move to Al-Ittihad.
The Chelsea midfielder is set to join the club for two years in a deal that is worth £172m.
Landing Messi, arguably the best footballer of the generation, could have capped off what’s been a huge week for the country, following LIV Golf’s seismec merger with the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour.
LIV was initially launched and is operated by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Mail Sport reported earlier this week that the PIF would take 75 per cent control over the Saudi Pro League’s top four clubs: Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal.
Cristiano Ronaldo is also currently plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, after moving to the club on a £175-million-per-year contract back in December last year.
Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has also been linked with a move to join Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, on a three-year deal that could be worth a whopping £45m (£15m-per-year).
More to follow…