Lionel Messi is said to be in conversations with Saudi-Arabian side Al-Ahli while speculation about his future continues to rise.
Messi, 38, has been a transforming signing for Inter Miami since he was in 2023, with the Argentinian icon that scored 52 goals and adds 25 assists in just 64 games in front of David Beckham.
His current contract ends at the end of 2025 and although Miami is desperate to extend the Messi deal, he has been associated with a new challenge.
And according to the French outlet l'Equipe, a move to Saudi Arabia can be on the table.
When Messi left PSG in 2023, the attacker was heavily connected to a transfer to the middle -in -summer in which the Saudi Pro League (SPL) started to make large splashes on the market.
In fact, the 38-year-old would reject an unprecedented range of $ 400 ma (£ 294 million) of Al-Hilal, who, instead, signed the former teammate Neymar van Messi.
And according to the report, SPL figures did not give up the hope of convincing Messi to join Al-Ahli, one of the four clubs owned by the Saudi-Arab Public Investment Fund, alongside Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-STIHAD.
Although Miami is negotiating a one-year contract extension with Messi, the report adds that Al-Ahli has tried the eight times Ballon d'Or winner to join them for a few weeks.
The finances involved in a potential deal have not been reported, but Al-Ahli does everything to make a movement possible.
The reports with regard to Saudi interest in Messi come with the 38-year-old who has previously signed a three-year-old deal worth around $ 25 million (£ 18.4 million) with the Saudi tourist authority to promote the Kingdom.
Messi also opened the Saudi interest in him in 2023 and hinted that it is an option that could be possible in the future.
“I thought a lot about going to the Saudi competition,” he told Time Magazine in March.
'I know the country and they have created a very powerful competition that can become an important competition in the near future.
'As the tourist ambassador of the country, it was a destination that attracted me, especially because I enjoyed everything I have visited, because of how football grows in the country and because of the efforts they make to create a top match.
“It was Saudi Aarabia or MLS, and both options seemed very interesting to me.”
If Messi joined Al-Ahli, who won the AFC Champions League in 2024-25, he would be in their team at the former Premier League stars Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez, Edouard Mendy and Ivan Toney.
He would also come back in direct competition with his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar had signed a new contract with Al-Nassr.
In the meantime, Messi was recently in action at the Club World Cup before Miami was eliminated by his former club PSG in the last 16 phase after a 4-0 defeat.
Nevertheless, Messi thinks after the game on Instagram, Messi expressed his pride of the performance on his part.
“Today the end of the World Cup club marks us with a defeat against the current Champions League champions, where people I appreciate and I was happy to see again,” he said.
'We are proud to have achieved our goal to finish in the top 16 in the tournament. Let us now concentrate on MLS and everything that is coming. '
After that tournament, Messi was back in MLS action on Sunday and scored twice when Miami Montreal defeated 4-1.