Saudi Arabia will continue to push to sign Messi, offering him the biggest contract in sports history and allowing him to choose any club sponsored by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Currently, both MLS and Saudi sources widely expect Messi to extend his contract with Inter Miami by at least one year. However, Saudi Arabia will keep pushing to sign him before the new contract is signed.
Last month, Saudi Arabia’s long-standing plan to pursue Messi again gained momentum, led by the PIF. If they can convince Messi to join, they are prepared to offer the most lucrative contract in sports.
Messi would also be free to choose his club. In the event of formal talks over a move to Saudi Arabia, he could select freely from the four PIF-owned clubs—Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, and Al Nassr—with NEOM Sports (invested in by PIF) also under consideration.
That said, there is greater caution in planning for a potential arrival of Messi compared to the summer of 2023, when the PIF was confident they had secured his signature. Now, even if Messi extends his contract with Inter Miami, Saudi Arabia’s interest will remain—and it will persist until his retirement.
