Why Lionel Messi turned down €1bn offer from Al-Hilal to sign for Inter Miami

Messi’s decision to decline Hilal’s enormous offer to sign for Inter Miami who is struggling in the MLS has raised eyebrows.

He was also linked with Barcelona, who are in financial crisis, but pulled some plugs to free up space to accommodate Messi, but the player looked elsewhere.

Addressing claims that Barcelona could not afford his salary, hence the rejection, Messi clarified that he would have chosen Hilal over Barcelona if he wanted money.

“Money, never been an issue with me. We didn’t even discuss the contract with Barcelona! They sent me a proposal but was never an official, written, and signed proposal. We never negotiated my salary. It wasn’t about money otherwise I was going to join Saudi.

“If it had been a matter of money, I’d have gone to Arabia or elsewhere. It seemed like a lot of money to me. The truth is that my final decision goes elsewhere and not because of money,” he told Mundo Deportivo.

Barcelona in their statement in response to Messi’s decision explained that the player told them he wanted a time away from the spotlight.

“President Laporta understood and respected Messi’s decision to want to compete in a league with fewer demands, further away from the spotlight and the pressure he has been subject to in recent years,” part of the statement released on Tuesday, June 8 reads.

Lionel Messi is now set to become the biggest signing in MLS history. According to the report, he will earn a share in Inter Miami, a cut of revenue from Adidas from the club’s jersey sales, and a cut of revenue from new subscribers to Apple TV’s MLS season pass streaming service.