“They are going to sign him” – Al-Ettifaq head coach explains strong feeling around Lionel Messi transfer to Saudi Arabia 

Al-Ettifaq manager Antonio Cazorla has said that there's a 'strong feeling' around Lionel Messi's transfer to Saudi Arabia. The Argentine runs out of contract with PSG this summer but hasn't made a decision on his future yet, but there have been multiple reports going around.

Messi is touted with a return to Barcelona less than two years after leaving his boyhood club, but it seems like a move to the Middle East could be on the cards too.

Cazorla said that there's a 'feeling among the fans' and Saudi media that Messi could indeed move to the country, especially after Cristiano Ronaldo's shock transfer to Al-Nassr in December last year. He told Marca:

"Here, there is a lot of talk about it, I don't know what will happen, but I am sure that they are going to overturn to achieve the arrival of Messi or some other great star. The feeling of both the fans and the media is that they are going the right way and that they are going to sign him."

Messi's contract with PSG is up in June this year, and he hasn't penned a new deal yet, although reports emerging from Paris suggest the Ligue 1 champions are keen for him to continue in the French capital.

However, reports of a fairytale return to Barcelona have also gained steam after club president Joan Laporta confirmed that to a fan who asked him about the Argentine's return at a recent game.

Messi has kept a tight-lip on his future, despite saying that he will decide his future after the conclusion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. There, he guided Albiceleste to their third title in the competition in December last year.

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Messi guiding PSG to Ligue 1 title

Even if Lionel Messi were to leave PSG this summer, he won't be leaving empty-handed, as PSG are on the brink of a 11th Ligue 1 title, and the Argentine has played a big role.

With 15 goals and as many assists in the competition this season, the 35-year-old has recaptured his mojo after struggling to produce his best in his first year at the club.

In the absence of Neymar, who's out with an injury, Messi has forged a devastating partnership with Kylian Mbappe. The two have been linking up clinically in their recent games, with PSG on the cusp of another league crown.