- Historic offer prepared for PSG star
- Messi wooed by special treatment
- Also drawing interest from elsewhere
WHAT HAPPENED? The Saudi government is preparing the most lucrative contract offer in football history - far more than Cristiano Ronaldo's deal at Al-Nassr - with officials willing to give Messi £320 million per year ($400m), according to The Telegraph. Talks led by Messi's father and agent, Jorge, are underway as he prepares to become a free agent in the summer when he leaves Paris Saint-Germain.
The exact Saudi Pro League club Messi would join remains undetermined, although Al-Nassr's rivals Al-Hilal have been touted as a possibility.
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AND WHAT'S MORE: Messi's recent trip to Saudi Arabia, which earned him a PSG suspension, came with all sorts of perks, seemingly with the aim of convincing him to move to the country full-time. In a press release, the nation claimed he was "enchanted" by a falcon trained to stand on his shoulder, while his wife Antonella Roccuzzo took part in local tradition by wearing the Saudi hama on her head.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: PSG are set to lose Messi for free this summer, and Saudi Arabia will likely present the best contract terms - but he could also choose Barcelona or Inter Miami.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Saudi Tourism Authority
Saudi Tourism Authority
Saudi Tourism AuthorityWHAT NEXT FOR SAUDI PURSUIT? Messi is still considering his options and reportedly waiting on more specifics from Barcelona and Inter Miami, but the Saudi government will likely keep in close contact in the coming months.