Al-Hilal Saudi club president Fahd bin Nafel refused to comment on the possibility of bringing in Argentine world champion Lionel Messi to strengthen his ranks next season, considering that the group has “more important than one player”. A source familiar with the negotiations revealed to AFP on Tuesday that the best player in the world seven times will play with Al-Hilal under an “exceptional and huge” deal: “Messi’s deal has been completed. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season,” without indicating the club he will play for.
He added, “The contract is exceptional, it is huge. We are in the process of finalizing some small details.” While the player’s father and agent, Jorge, insisted that his 35-year-old son had not decided his destination yet, “there is no agreement with any club for the next year.” Despite several reports linking Messi and Al-Hilal club, sources with the record-holder in the number of times the Saudi League won told AFP that the capital team was not in direct contact with his French team, Paris Saint-Germain, whose contract with the “mosquito” expires at the end of June.
After Al-Hilal crowned the King’s Cup of Saudi Arabia yesterday at the expense of Al-Wahda by a penalty shootout 7-6 (1-1), Bin Nafel answered the journalists’ questions about the possibility of bringing Messi in, saying, “Do not ask me about Messi. I will not give you news. If anything is issued by the media center You’ll get it.” In the analytical studio after the match, Ben Nafel said from the field, to the sound of the fans’ shouts, “Messi, Messi”: “The group is more important to me than a player. Any star who comes to our club must know that we are a big club. We aim to add and improve. If you focus on someone, you lose.” the group”.
Al-Hilal partially compensated for its decline in the domestic league, which it achieved in the past three seasons, by winning the King’s Cup title, noting that it reached the Club World Cup final, where it lost to Spanish Real Madrid, and finally the AFC Champions League final when it lost its title to Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds. When asked about the possibility of completing the league with reserve players, Bin Nafel replied, “This is a matter for the coach alone.”
