Messi’s father breaks silence over mega Saudi deal after ‘£522m offer made’

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Lionel Messi’s father has denied speculation that the PSG star has agreed to sign for Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal or any other club after reports of an eye-watering £522million deal circulated. The Argentinian superstar is expected to leave the Ligue 1 champions this summer and seal a lucrative switch to the Middle East, but Jorge Messi, the player’s father and agent, has issued a statement confirming that there is no agreement to decide his son’s future.

Reports had claimed Al-Hilal had offered Messi a deal worth a massive £522m, which would eclipse the £175m-a-year deal Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Al-Nassr in November, to play in the Saudi Pro League next season.

An anonymous source close to the negotiation claimed it was a ‘done deal’ for Messi to move to Saudi, according to AFP, with Messi poised to reignite his rivalry with Ronaldo.

But in a strongly-worded rebuttal of those reports, Messi Snr revealed that the 35-year-old is yet to make a decision on whether his future lies and will only do so once the current campaign has finished.

The statement read: “There’s absolutely not any club for next year. The decision would never be taken before Lionel finishes the season with PSG.

“At a time when the season has finished, there will be a moment to analyse and look what is there, and then take a decision.

“There are always rumours and they use the name of Lionel to gain notoriety, but the only truth that we can assure is there is [no agreement] with anyone. Not verbal, not signed, not agreed, and there won’t be until the season is finished.”

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