"Messi deal done" .. Details of Messi's transfer to the Saudi League

Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi will play next season in Saudi Arabia under an "extraordinary and huge" deal, a source familiar with the negotiations told AFP on Tuesday.

Messi deal done, he will play in Saudi Arabia next season, without indicating the club he will play for.

For his part, his French club, Paris Saint-Germain, told Agence France-Presse, separately, that the contract of the 35-year-old world champion is still valid until June 30.

A second source in the French club told AFP, "If the club wanted to renew his contract, it would have done so early."

Messi's arrival in Saudi Arabia comes months after the arrival of his rival and Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined the Saudi club Al-Nasr in a resounding deal last January, according to AFP.

Ambassador for tourism

And the French club, Paris Saint-Germain, recently suspended its World Cup-winning star last December in Qatar, because he traveled without the club’s approval to Saudi Arabia, where he is active as an ambassador for tourism in Saudi Arabia, according to the French Agency.

EUR 440 million  

It is believed that the Portuguese contract, which extends until June 2025, is estimated at more than 440 million euros, which makes him the highest-paid athlete, according to Forbes.

according to Reuters, Saudi Arabia appointed Messi as ambassador for tourism last year, and he visited Jeddah in May 2022, then returned in January to play a friendly match with Paris Saint-Germain against Al-Nasr and Al-Hilal teams, and faced Cristiano Ronaldo.

He may have won almost everything there is to win in the game, but Lionel Messi says he’ll keep playing as long as he’s still enjoying his career.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner spoke to Laureus co-host and CNN Sport anchor Amanda Davies after being named World Sportsman of the Year at the 2023 Laureus World Sports Awards on Monday.

It’s the second time Messi has won the award and he remains the only soccer player in history to be named Sportsman of the Year.

The 35 years old told Davies when asked what else he wants from his career “Football is something that I have loved and enjoyed since I was a child”.

“I love playing it and I love everyday life. It was my whole life to be able to enjoy what I like and I’m just looking for that: to keep enjoying, to keep playing, which is what always made me happy.