The future of Lionel Messi is hot news at the moment. There have been several reports from France that the forward has signed a world-record deal in Saudi Arabia, but Spanish media have denied that a deal has been signed.
What is the news?
News on Messi agreeing to join Al-Hilal next season filled the headlines quickly on Tuesday morning. The Argentinian reportedly signed a world-record deal worth 400 million euros per-year and that deal was confirmed by the French news agency AFP. However, now Spanish media have denied that a transfer to Saudi Arabia has been completed and have claimed that Messi will not make a final decision on his future before the end of the season.
The backstory
Messi’s future at Paris Saint-Germain has been in the news the past couple of weeks and the forward intensified the rumours after he traveled to Saudi Arabia without consent from the French club. The club then suspended Messi for two weeks, only to lift the suspension after one week. Despite Messi returning to team training this week, it is expected that he will leave PSG after two seasons. A return to FC Barcelona has been rumoured, but the Spanish club simply does not have the financial power to complete a transfer.
What next?
The only one who knows where his future lies is Messi himself at the moment. There are multiple options for the forward and these include a move to Al-Hilal, where he could be battling against Cristiano Ronaldo once again. Other option could be the United States and Inter Miami in particular. Messi has met with owner David Beckham, but it is unclear if the two talked about a potential move.
