Lionel Messi, the Argentine sensation, is almost certain to depart Paris Saint Germain at the conclusion of the current season. Messi’s former club, Barcelona, will persist in their efforts to re-sign him in the upcoming months.
Barcelona is currently negotiating to potentially re-sign their former star player in 2023. However, they will not make the final decision until the conclusion of the 2022/23 season Barcelona and Messi’s representatives have already begun talks, aiming to reach an agreement. Nevertheless, Barcelona’s financial difficulties may pose challenges, potentially causing delays in the negotiations.
Laporta: “I have spoken to Messi, we’ve recovered the relationship. It was very nice”. 🚨🔵🔴 #FCB
“Al Hilal bid? Barça is Barça. This club can compete with everyone. In Arabia they are doing a good job and investing… but I insist, Barça is his home”, told TV3.
“We want Leo”. pic.twitter.com/AW3c7aYxRj
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 15, 2023
A possibility that cannot be ruled out is Messi joining a club in Saudi Arabia. Al Hilal, unburdened by the financial challenges faced by Barcelona, is keen on signing Messi and can offer him a two-year contract with the option for an additional year, along with an impressive salary package in the Middle East.
Al Hilal is actively seeking a marquee transfer to rival Cristiano Ronaldo to Al Nassr, but they have other options besides Messi.
🚨🚨| Lionel Messi has now been offered €500M/season to join Al Hilal.@La_SER [🎖️] pic.twitter.com/cjIUe30x0S
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) May 19, 2023
If Messi were to complete a stunning move to the Middle East, there could be implications for Al-Bulayhi’s position at Al-Hilal. The Saudi defender, Al-Bulayhi, has expressed concern that Messi’s arrival may result in the squad dropping him. In the past, Al-Bulayhi provoked Messi during a match between Saudi Arabia and Argentina in Qatar, where Saudi Arabia surprisingly defeated the eventual champions 2-1.
Concerns of exclusion: Al-Bulayhi’s apprehension over Lionel Messi joining Al-Hilal
In response to the ongoing rumors surrounding Messi’s potential move to Al Hilal, Al-Bulayhi spoke to SBC and shared his uncertainty, saying, “I do not know what will happen, and I am afraid that he says, ‘I do not want number five.’ I do not know if Messi will come or not, but if he comes, may God protect me! If he comes, God willing, I will not attend the first two days until I monitor the situation from afar so that he may forget me.”
Al-Bulayhi confirmed that he conversed with Messi in Arabic during the World Cup and boldly taunted him, stating that even if the match continued for a significant duration, Messi would not be able to defeat the Saudi team.
The defender from Saudi Arabia further expressed that he was not afraid to face Messi, as he gained valuable experience from going up against Uruguay’s formidable attacking pair, Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez, during the 2018 World Cup.
🚨 What Saudi defender Al-Bulayhi screamed at Lionel Messi was brutal, Messi was left in shock pic.twitter.com/d8mRfpOxH4
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) November 22, 2022
“I will not ever be afraid, even if I face three Messis after the Uruguay match. Messi is a legend, and I do not want to talk about him, as he may come. He is a legend, but in the end, we are 11 against 11,” he said.
Messi’s potential move to a Saudi club has garnered significant attention worldwide, particularly after his widely covered visit to Saudi Arabia in his capacity as the country’s tourism ambassador earlier this month. This visit further reinforced the headlines surrounding his potential transfer to a Saudi club.
