There has been extensive interest from the Saudi top club Al-Hilal for Lionel Messi for several weeks.
“His departure to Saudi Arabia is a foregone conclusion,” an anonymous source confirmed to the French news agency AFP today.
Even though there was no signature yet, it was immediately world news. Messi has also had ties to Saudi Arabia for some time. Since the beginning of last year, he has even been the country’s tourist ambassador.
Yet Jorge Messi, the father and agent of the PSG footballer, quickly denied in a statement the “news” from the French news agency AFP about an imminent departure of son Lionel Messi for Saudi Arabia.
“There is no agreement at all with a club for the coming season. Lionel wants to finish the season with PSG first and only make a decision afterwards”, it sounds firm.
“Once the season is over, it’s time to analyze and then make a decision. There are always rumors and many use Lionel’s name to fabricate news, but there is only one truth and we can assure that with no one has an agreement, not even verbally.”
“It seems to me above all a lack of respect that people deliberately and without evidence want to turn a malicious rumor into news, in favor of their own interests.”
In recent weeks and months it has been clear that Messi is on his way to the exit at Paris. While after the World Cup in Qatar, where he won the world title with Argentina and thus crowned his career, there was still an oral agreement on a contract extension.
But since then, fans have criticized him several times. They accuse him of a lack of effort and since his return from Argentina after the celebrations of the world title, his sporting performance has also been declining.
The smear campaign reached an all-time low last week when Messi was suspended for an unauthorized trip to the Middle East. After 6 days of suspension, he was allowed to train again on Monday and so he only missed last weekend’s league match against Troyes.
The home game against Ajaccio follows on Saturday. This will be followed by duels against Auxerre, Strasbourg and Clermont, before the season is over. These may therefore be Messi’s last matches in the Paris shirt.
A return to FC Barcelona has also been discussed, but that is difficult due to the financial situation of the Catalans.
In the summer of 2021, Messi had closed the gates of Nou Camp behind him with tears in his eyes to make the transfer to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
The financial consequences of the COVID crisis had hit the Catalans hard and Messi had simply become unaffordable. Barça are trying to find a financial way to make a return possible. The decision will not be made until the end of this season.
Inter Miami from the MLS and his home club Newell’s Old Boys from Rosario were also previously mentioned as possible destinations.
2023-05-09 14:15:00
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