REVEALED: Antonella's role in Messi's transfer to Saudi Arabia

Tom Hancock

• Updated: 3 May 2023 20:08 BST
• 3 min read

The government of Saudi Arabia are lining up the biggest deal in football history to bring Lionel Messi to the Saudi Pro League this summer – and the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner’s wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, could also play a part in the potential move.

Messi will leave PSG this summer, with the news coming after the Ligue 1 club suspended him for two weeks for making an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.

Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning captain was in the Gulf state as part of his role promoting tourism in the country – material for which Roccuzzo has also featured in prominently.

READ MORE: Why Messi is leaving PSG

According to The Telegraph, Messi could earn an astonishing €363.6m (£320m) a year in Saudi Arabia – almost twice as much as fellow multiple Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Pro League title contenders Al-Nassr in January.

Where Messi potentially ends up remains to be seen, but Al-Nassr’s biggest rivals Al-Hilal – who have been crowned champions of Saudi Arabia a record 18 times – may be an option.

Messi and Ronaldo haven’t played in the same league as one another since 2017/18 – the latter’s final season with Real Madrid.

READ MORE: How Newcastle can help Barcelona land Messi

Is a Camp Nou homecoming still in the offing?

In addition to the apparent Saudi interest, Messi has been heavily linked with a romantic return to Barcelona – who have met with LaLiga to discuss the possibility of re-signing their greatest ever player.

But, perhaps unfortunately for Barca, money is very much an object – not that any elite European club is likely to be able to offer anywhere near the aforementioned reported wages.

Messi, who turns 36 in June, joined PSG after leaving Barca as a free agent in the summer of 2021; he’s made 71 appearances for the reigning Ligue 1 champions, scoring 31 goals.