Salem Badughaish
THE GULF NEWS #1
Football fans in Saudi Arabia are abuzz with excitement at the possibility of superstar Lionel Messi joining the nation's Pro League! After it was announced that he would visit the kingdom this month for a third time in less than a year, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al Khatib, said that the Argentine would visit KSA on holiday.
Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism took to Twitter to express his joy at welcoming Messi and his family and friends, saying, "I am happy to welcome our Tourism Ambassador and star Lionel Messi and his family and friends this month on his second visit to Saudi to enjoy our most beautiful tourism destinations, connect with our people and enjoy unique experiences."
Last year, Messi was appointed Saudi Arabia's tourism ambassador and he visited Jeddah in May before returning in January to play a friendly match with PSG against a team of Saudi League stars, where he faced rival Cristiano Ronaldo. This recent planned visit has reignited speculation about Messi joining the Saudi Pro League after Ronaldo's lucrative Al Nassr deal last year - reportedly worth more than 200 million euros over 2 1/2 years. Local media reported that Al Hilal and Al Ittihad have expressed interest in signing the Argentine. The Saudi sports website reported that Al Hilal had already made him a huge offer to join once his contract with PSG ends in June.
Messi vs. Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/3CToVKFxJb51jmow5
According to European media, Saudi clubs are willing to go all out for Lionel Messi, offering him a deal worth $234 million a season to make a move. Adding fuel to the transfer rumors is the fact that Messi's father and agent, Jorge Messi, is in Saudi much ahead of the footballer's visit.
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