A year ago
Lionel Messi is split between two transfer options, one of which involves Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi may reunite with old adversary Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia after receiving a £350 million-per-year offer from rival club Al Hilal, but Barcelona is still in talks to re-sign him.
According to reports, Lionel Messi is actively considering a move to Al Hilal, where he would compete with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
The 35-year-old Paris Saint-Germain superstar is increasingly likely to leave the Parc des Princes when his contract expires at the end of the season, and the Middle Eastern club has made him a lucrative £350 million-a-year offer. However, Messi has confirmed that he is in talks to return to Barcelona, the club he left in 2021 due to the LaLiga giants' well-documented financial problems.
Ronaldo, three years his senior, moved to Saudi Arabia in December after leaving Manchester United to join Al-Nassr, where he has scored 10 goals in nine appearances. Al Hilal are Ronaldo's main local rivals.
According to ESPN, Messi's current situation is to either rejoin Barcelona in a sensational homecoming or follow his old foe to the Middle East after talks over a new contract with PSG fell through. According to ESPN, the Argentine legend already fronts the Visit Saudi tourism campaign, and the possibility of him relocating there is 50-50.
Ronaldo recently stated that the Saudi Pro League could soon be one of the top leagues in the world, and he expressed his joy at taking his career to Asia. "I'm feeling great. "That's why I'm here," declared the Portuguese icon. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe it." I play in a highly competitive league. They should reconsider their approach to the Saudi championship.
"It's not the Premier League, and I'd be lying if I said it is, but it's competitive. The strength astounded me. It has good teams that are balanced, the Arab players are good, and the foreign players provide quality. If they stick to their plan, it could be the fourth or fifth most competitive league in the world in five to six years."
Perhaps Ronaldo is correct, but the fact remains that moving back to Barcelona would be a much more prestigious, albeit less lucrative, move for Messi right now. Former teammates Thierry Henry and Xavi have urged him to return to the Camp Nou, with the latter now in charge of Barcelona and poised to win the league title in his first full season.
Vice-president Rafa Yuste, second in command to president Joan Laporta, confirmed last week that talks had taken place between Barcelona officials and Messi's father and agent, Jorge. Barcelona are also optimistic about signing the World Cup winner, despite LaLiga president Javier Tebas' warning that they must first raise significant funds by selling players.
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