Lionel Messi is considering a move to Saudi Arabia that would see him join Al Hilal, the city rivals of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this summer, a source familiar with the negotiations told ESPN.

Having opened talks with Messi and his advisers late last year, senior figures in the bid to take him to the Middle Eastern nation had initially believed they had no more than an outside chance of persuading the former Barcelona forward to follow Ronaldo to Riyadh.

However, a source told ESPN there is now an increasing likelihood of Messi, 35, who fronts the Visit Saudi tourism campaign, moving to the Saudi Pro League, putting the probability as high as "50-50" following talks with the player's camp in Saudi Arabia last month.

SOC

Lionel Messi unlikely to extend PSG deal, refuses to take pay cut

A separate source told ESPN that Messi received an offer from Saudi Arabia last week.

ESPN reported Tuesday that Messi is unlikely to reach an agreement to extend his contract at PSG, which runs out at the end of the season. He signed a two-year deal on his arrival from Barcelona in 2021.