Messi Shuts Door on Saudi Switch: Inter Miami Star Commits Long-Term Despite Eye-Watering Al-Ittihad Approach

The Saudi Pro League can forget about luring Lionel Messi eastward. The Inter Miami star has effectively closed the book on any potential desert adventure, remaining firmly committed to his MLS project regardless of the astronomical sums being dangled in front of him.

Al-Ittihad's president Anmar Al Haili has been remarkably candid about his club's pursuit of the Barcelona icon, revealing just how far he's willing to go to bring the Argentine to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, Al Haili doubled down on his interest, insisting that Messi would receive a "contract for life" should he make the switch.

"If Messi agrees to sign with Al Ittihad, I would offer him a contract where he could earn whatever amount he wants, for as long as he wants, even for life," Al Haili proclaimed.

Yet the truly staggering part of this saga emerged when the Al-Ittihad chief disclosed his previous attempt to land Messi back in 2023. When the Argentina international departed Paris Saint-Germain, Al Haili came armed with an eye-watering €1.4billion (£1.21billion) proposal—a sum rejected outright by Messi, who prioritised his family's wellbeing over financial gain.

"Yes, I contacted him before, when his contract with PSG ended. I offered him 1.4 billion euros. He rejected such a big offer for the sake of his family despite having convinced them. However, he did not hesitate to reject it because family is more important than money," Al Haili explained.

The Al-Ittihad president added: "Having Messi here in Saudi Arabia wearing our shirt, economically it means nothing to me. We would celebrate the league even before it started because we would have the best player in the history of football."

Last year saw speculation mount regarding Messi's future at Inter Miami as his contract wound down. However, he opted to extend his deal through 2028, effectively settling the matter.

Now, fresh reporting confirms what most observers suspected: Messi has "made a transfer decision" and will not be departing Miami anytime soon. Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke was emphatic on the subject: "He remains committed to Inter Miami. He's the star man there, he is heavily involved with the club, and obviously had a great season last year when they won the MLS Cup for the first time in their history as well."

O'Rourke continued: "The links with the Saudi Pro League are never going to go away. And obviously it's been claimed that he turned down an offer of £1.2 billion, which is crazy when you think about it. But look, Messi is all in at Inter Miami. He has got no plans to leave anytime soon."

Both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo departed European football in 2023, though they charted distinctly different courses. Ronaldo became one of the sport's earliest major defectors to the Saudi Pro League, while Messi has established himself as the flagship attraction of Major League Soccer. Despite operating in the same global marketplace, the two legends have pursued entirely separate paths in the twilight of their careers.