Billion euro bid for Messi revealed
Claim resurfaces from PSG era
According to TouchlineX, Anmar Al Haili said he personally contacted Lionel Messi while the forward was playing for Paris Saint Germain and presented him with a contract proposal worth €1.4 billion per year.
Al Haili described the approach as a serious and direct attempt rather than a casual inquiry, emphasising that discussions had reached a concrete stage before being rejected.
“It’s true that I contacted Lionel Messi before when he was at PSG. I offered him €1.4 billion per year, he refused.”
The claim has not been independently confirmed by Messi’s representatives, and no documentation of the offer has been made public.
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Scale of the proposed deal
If accepted, the figure mentioned would have represented one of the most lucrative salary offers ever made to a professional athlete across any sport.
Al Haili did not disclose which club or project was behind the proposal, but framed it as part of broader efforts by emerging football markets to attract globally recognised players during that period.
The offer was ultimately declined, with Messi reportedly prioritising non financial considerations.
Decisions beyond money
Messi’s refusal fits a wider pattern seen throughout his career, where sporting goals, family circumstances and long term legacy have outweighed record breaking financial incentives.
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After leaving Paris Saint Germain, Messi chose to join Inter Miami, a move that was widely reported at the time by international media as being influenced by lifestyle factors and long term planning rather than salary alone.
The account adds context to how even unprecedented financial proposals have failed to sway football’s most high profile player.
Context behind the revelation
Al Haili’s comments offer insight into the intensity of competition for elite talent during Messi’s final years in European football, a period marked by growing investment from new markets seeking global visibility through marquee signings.
Sources: TouchlineX
