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Lionel Messi could join Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr as transfer 'explored' by Saudi side

talksport.com, 9 May 2023, 19:14
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could be teammates next season with Al Nassr a possible option for the Paris Saint-Germain star.

The Argentine could be on his way out of PSG this summer with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

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There are several options that Messi could take up including a return to Barcelona or a move to the MLS with Inter Miami interested.

But another contract is on the table from Saudi Arabia where the 35-year-old could move to Al Nassr, where Ronaldo plays.

According to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, a move to Saudi Arabia would be backed by the government, who would pick a club for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner to move to.

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Jacobs adds that several options are on the table including Al Ittihad and Al Hilal with Saudi Pro League director Garry Cook involved, who worked at Manchester City when they were taken over in 2008.

And a move to Al Nassr has been 'explored' as well with appeal growing over making Messi and Ronaldo teammates in the division.

The two have never played together and have always been on opposing sides, most prominently at Barcelona and Real Madrid.

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Having both on the same team would be a huge statement of intent from the Saudi Pro League, who are dedicated to bringing the biggest and best players to the Gulf state.

However, it is also reported that Al Hilal are the most likely destination, who have tried to sign Messi in the past, as well as Ronaldo.

The World Cup winner has a contract on the table worth nearly double as much as Ronaldo, who is on £320million-a-year.

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Messi was recently suspended by PSG for two weeks for missing training after an unsanctioned trip to Saudi Arabia.

It means he will miss two Ligue 1 matches and will be without pay on his £52m-a-year contract at the Parc des Princes.

The former Barca star issued an apology on social media and insisted he thought he was allowed a day off because he believed he had a rest day.

Explaining the situation, Messi said: "Hello, well, I wanted to make this video after everything that is happening.

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"First of all, I apologise to my teammates, to the club. Honestly, I thought we were going to have a day off after the game, as had been happening in previous weeks.

"I had this trip to Arabia organised and I couldn't cancel it. I had already cancelled it before.

"I repeat again and apologise for what I did. Here I am, waiting for what the club decides."

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