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By Martin Graham | 15th Jan 2023
Spanish journalist and Lionel Messi biographer Guillem Balague has come out to debunk reports of the Argentine being linked to Saudi Arabia.
The Middle Eastern country is currently the talk of the football world at the moment thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredibly lucrative move to Al Nassr. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, 37, signed a two-year contract which would be followed with an even more lucrative ambassadorship deal for all of Saudi Arabian football.
It is a marketing move more than a footballing one for all parties, especially with Saudi Arabia bidding for the 2030 World Cup hosting rights.
Now, the Arabians were reported to be preparing another coup on football by bringing his eternal rival, Lionel Messi, to their league. The club in question is Al Hilal, who are the bitter rivals of Al Nassr in Saudi Arabian football.
Per reports, both clubs are aiming to create the El Clasico atmosphere in their league with both global stars to boost their standing in world football, and it starts by signing the two great pillars of the epic footballing fixture of the past 10 years, Messi and Ronaldo.
However, Balague, who is regarded as having more credible insider information surrounding Messi’s football career thanks to his being the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s biographer, has categorically stated that the reports of Messi moving to Saudi are totally false.
The alleged deal is worth £245 million, which will see Messi outearn Ronaldo, upstaging him once again.
“There hasn’t been an offer [from Al Hilal],” says Balague. “PSG and Messi are organising a meeting in the next few weeks to finalise the deal that will keep him in Paris.”
Balague also added that Messi wants to win more trophies in European football. “Right now, his motivation is to stay in Europe,” Balague added.
“He is favourite to win the Ballon d’Or, he is still in the Champions League, he has big targets after winning the World Cup.
“Not only does it make no sense to approach him with that offer, it hasn’t existed.”
Meanwhile, files have been recovered of messages that transpired during the Barcagate scandal at Barcelona a few years ago, which was the beginning of the end of Messi at Barcelona.
Chief of Legal under former president Josep Maria Bartomeu was recorded spitting venomous words about Messi to his principal. “Barto, really, you can’t be such a good person with this sewer rat,” the recording went. “The club has given him everything and he has dedicated himself to imposing a dictatorship of signings, transfers, renewals, patros (sponsors) just for him, etc.
“…and above all the accumulation of blackmail and rudeness that the club and those of us who work have suffered from this hormonal dwarf who owes Barca his life… ah!”
It remains to be seen what happens as the investigations are ongoing. However, one thing is now very certain: Lionel Messi and Barcelona will never cross paths again.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports writer
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