'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcQAAIBBAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEESEFBjESAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBBEAAQQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDERIAIQQTgf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Azjr3WOCueC7Ddvao5sLkRRuQA2G1obx848zuoCWPikldTD9lWILNEhLYPp37SlT8slvpqYslRPhxG3nLuiZhYjQ1rP/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Al-Nassr's success in securing Cristiano Ronaldo's signature has reportedly given other Saudi Arabian clubs confidence that they could land Lionel Messi if they made the right offer.
Spanish journalist Joan Fontes has reported that Al-Ittihad FC could make a staggering offer to acquire the services of Messi this summer. Al-Ittihad are reportedly willing to offer Messi an €88 million per season salary on a two-year contract. If he agrees to this deal, it would make him the highest-paid player in football history.
The club are hoping to sign Lionel Messi and win the national title for the first time since 2008-09 by challenging Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr, who have dominated the league since then.
The Argentine's future is up in the air as his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expires at the end of the 2022-23 season. There have not been any concrete talks of a contract extension, even though the French giants hope to have Messi on their books beyond this campaign.
A return to Barcelona or a move to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami have been widely considered Messi's two options should he decide against extending his stay in Paris.
Incidentally, Al-Hilal's head coach Ramon Diaz recently spoke about the spending power of Saudi Arabian clubs. He said (via Marca):
"Saudi Arabia has the chance to buy Messi now, imagine the power this country has. We are waiting for that now."
Lionel Messi wins record 7th FIFA The Best Men's Player of the Year award
Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina forward Lionel Messi has won the FIFA The Best Men's Player of the Year award for 2023, the seventh time he has done so in his career. The forward beat club teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema to the award this year. He last won this award in 2019.
The Argentine saw plenty of success in 2022. He helped PSG to the Ligue 1 title in May, scoring 11 goals and providing 15 assists in 34 games across competitions.
Messi then achieved his lifelong goal when he captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar last year. He was an influential player for La Abiceleste in the quadrennial event, scoring seven goals and providing three assists in seven games.
The Argentine was also awarded the Golden Ball for his performances in the tournament.
