Following the decision to suspend Lionel Messi for two weeks after an unscheduled visit to Saudi Arabia, it appears the attacker’s departure from Paris Saint-Germain this summer is practically certain, leaving many to wonder what the future holds for the Argentine.
Barcelona, no doubt, are leading the race to sign their former star, with the player himself reportedly keen on returning to Camp Nou.
However, with the club facing economic hardships, there is a possibility Messi might have to settle for the other option. That is where Saudi Arabia comes into the fray.
Al-Hilal, in particular, have emerged as a potential destination for Messi, who has reportedly been offered a bumper €400 million contract. Amid recent links, Al-Hilal manager Ramon Diaz offered his take on Messi’s return, suggesting more details could come out in the summer.
“Now we are focused on the game, we have a final. And after the final, we’ll see what happens,” Diaz said (h/t Diario SPORT).
The Al-Hilal coach was referring to the recently concluded AFC Champions League against Urawa Reds. Unfortunately, the Saudi Arabian giants lost the encounter 2-1 on aggregate.
Al-Hilal, nevertheless, will be keen on signing Messi, knowing the Argentine’s addition to the team could go a long way in giving that team that bit of extra push needed to help them dominate Asian club football.
It is well known that the Saudi League is carrying out a detailed project to make it one of the most attractive leagues in Asia. The first step was to sign Cristiano Ronaldo earlier in the year and their next project is to sign Messi.
Everything suggests Al-Hilal will be given the opportunity to sign Messi, should he move to Saudi Arabia this summer, as the league looks to promote the rivalry between him and Ronaldo.
