Gazeta Esportiva.com
·14 January 2026
Al-Ittihad president reveals billion-euro offer to sign Messi in 2023

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Yahoo sportsGazeta Esportiva.com
·14 January 2026

Anmar Al Haili, president of Al-Ittihad, has once again expressed his desire to have Lionel Messi at the Saudi club. In an interview, the executive stated that money would not be an obstacle to signing the Argentine and revealed details of a historic offer made in 2023.
The executive confirmed that he offered 1.4 billion euros (approximately R$ 7.56 billion) to the player after the end of his contract with PSG, but Messi chose to continue with Inter Miami. “He rejected such a large offer because of family, even after I convinced him. I respect that. For him, family is more important than money,” he said.
Al Haili reinforced his admiration for Messi's football and stated that the Argentine is the best player in history. “Having Messi here means nothing financially. It would mean celebrating the title even before the championship starts, because we would have the best player in history.”
Despite the Saudi insistence, last year, Messi renewed with Inter Miami until December 2028. Even so, the executive continues to dream. “If Messi ever accepts to sign with Al-Ittihad, I would offer a contract where he could earn as much as he wants, for as long as he wants, even for a lifetime,” Al Haili concluded in a statement reproduced by the page Albiceleste Talk.
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