‘Done deal’: Messi set for megabucks Saudi move – source

Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will play in Saudi Arabia next season under a blockbuster deal, a source close to the negotiations in the kingdom told AFP on Tuesday.

The deal would mean Messi potentially joins his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi league as the Gulf state lavishes its oil wealth on sport.

There was no confirmation from Messi’s current club Paris Saint-Germain, who noted simply that he was under contract until 30 June when contacted by AFP.

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The source said Messi will sign a “huge” deal with an as-yet-unnamed Saudi club just months after the 35-year-old lifted the World Cup in neighbouring Qatar in December.