After enticing offers from two teams, Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema may wind up competing in the Saudi Pro League the next year.
Messi has received a $400 million annual offer from Al-Hilal, which would make him the highest-paid athlete in the world. Al Ittihad has reportedly made Benzema a $200 million offer.
The Daily Mirror claims that Newcastle’s owners are apparently contributing funds to support Saudi Arabia’s efforts to persuade Messi and Benzema to relocate to the Middle East.
Bosses in the Middle Eastern state are hoping to tempt other superstars to join their teams after acquiring Cristiano Ronaldo after his exit from Manchester United.
The PIF, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and owners of Newcastle is chaired by the country’s powerful crown prince Mohamed bin Salman and has provided much of the money which has been invested into the league in recent years.
Two EPL clubs enter Messi race
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s contract with PSG expires this summer, and two English Premier League teams have entered the fray to sign him.
Chelsea and Newcastle are interested in signing the 35-year-old superstar after he played his final game for Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday in the 3-2 defeat to Clermont.
Chelsea are hoping Messi’s previous working relationship with new manager Mauricio Pochettino will give them the edge while Newcastle who has the financial might believe Champions League qualification is good enough to lure the Argentine.
PSG lose on Messi’s farewell
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Lionel Messi’s final game for PSG ended in defeat on Saturday, while Monaco missed out on European qualification and Auxerre were relegated on the last night of the Ligue 1 season.
Messi’s expected departure from the French giants after two seasons was officially confirmed by PSG in a statement shortly before Saturday’s match against Clermont.
Yet Messi, who ends his PSG career with 32 goals in 75 appearances, was jeered by some fans during the match, which the champions lost 3-2.