Al Ahli have opened talks to sign Lionel Messi from Inter Miami (h/t L’Equipe).

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) giants are preparing a bold move for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner when his contract with Miami runs out in December.

Al-Ahli are one of four clubs backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and this is part of their ongoing bid to attract top players to the SPL.

Having just tied Cristiano Ronaldo to a new two-year deal, PIF have set their sights on Messi, with Al-Ahli reportedly ready to pull out all the stops to make it happen.

The PIF made a strong move to lure Messi to the Middle East after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expired in 2023. However, he decided to join Miami.

With just six months left on his current deal, the door is open for PIF to try again, and Al-Ahli are pushing to finalise a deal.

Officials from the Asian Champions League winners have reportedly been working behind the scenes for weeks to convince Messi to join the club.

The financial package on offer is still being kept under wraps. There are reports that Messi is happy in Miami, but it’s clear that Al-Ahli will spare no expense to lure him to the Middle East.

The 38-year-old has been sensational since joining Miami. He has scored 52 goals in 64 games for the Major League Soccer (MLS) side, becoming the club’s all-time record goalscorer.

His 25 assists in Miami colours also rank him as the joint-highest top assist provider alongside Suarez in the club’s short history.