Al-Hilal to Offer Lionel Messi €220m per year Deal To Replace Ronaldo as the face of Saudi Arabian Football | Football/Soccer

Al-Hilal are rumored to be offering Lionel Messi a €220 million-a-year deal to match the package Al-Nassr gave Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo left for the Saudi Pro League in December after terminating his contract at Manchester United ahead of the 2022 World Cup. The 38-year-old will earn £177m a year ($215m) at Al-Nassr, according to AFP, while also becoming an ambassador after his playing career completed in 2024.

Now, according to Marca, Al-Nassr’s bitter rivals Al-Hilal are preparing a similar offer for Messi as they attempt to lure the Argentine to Riyadh from Paris Saint-Germain. Al-Hilal are currently serving a transfer ban but will be free to sign Messi in the summer, and the Saudi government is also set to change its salary cap laws to facilitate the World Cup winner’s arrival.

Messi’s contract with PSG expires in the summer and although renewal talks have progressed, a final agreement has yet to be reached. A free transfer to the Middle East could be an ideal choice for Messi, who has been a Saudi Arabia Tourism Ambassador and has made several trips to the Gulf countries for promotional activities.

Al-Hilal want Messi to replace Ronaldo as the face of Saudi Arabian football and are even willing to bring him on an initial one-year contract. Meanwhile, Jorge Messi, his father and agent, were spotted in Riyadh on Tuesday to add fuel to ongoing transfer speculation.