Messi’s MLS Debut, Mbappé’s Saudi Offer
On the latest episode of La Previa, hosts Asli Pelit and Boris Gartner discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including Lionel Messi’s MLS debut and Saudi Arabia’s reported $1 billion offer for Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappé.
Messi came into the game for Inter Miami last Friday against LigaMx’s Cruz Azul and nailed an unforgettable 94th-minute free-kick goal, marking a new era for the league and his new team.
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Earlier this week, reports leaked out that Saudi Pro League’s Al Hilal offered $1 billion for 24-year-old Mbappé, the highest offer the Saudis have made to date. If Mbappé accepts Al Hilal’s offer, a $333 million fee would go to his current team, PSG. Reportedly, the Saudi team’s offer is only for a year, allowing the French player to join Real Madrid on a free transfer in the 2024-2025 season. Mbappé is under contract with PSG for one more season but has been vocal about his desire to leave the club since Messi’s departure in June.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first soccer star to leap to the Saudi league, joining Al Nassr on a deal that runs to 2025, but the club did not disclose any financial details. Ronaldo’s contract has been estimated by the media to be worth more than €200 million ($214 million).
Last month 10 more players— including former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema and Chelsea FC players N’Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly—signed lucrative contracts with top Saudi teams.
Lastly, the hosts talk about the many matches happening in the U.S. this summer, marking a new era for the sport in the country. Last weekend, soccer teams from the Premier League kicked off the first-ever Premier Summer Series in the U.S., drawing over 100,000 fans in Philadelphia. The series is the second competition affiliated with the Premier League to be hosted outside England after the 2019 Premier League Asia Trophy.
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