Odion Ighalo, the Super Eagles striker, recently shared that his contract with Al-Hilal was not extended because the club had plans to sign Lionel Messi.
There were strong rumors linking Messi to the Saudi Professional League after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.
It was widely speculated that he might return to his childhood club, Barcelona, but he surprised everyone by joining Major League Soccer (MLS).
In an exclusive interview with sports journalist Oma Akatugba, Ighalo revealed that the club’s decision not to extend his contract was influenced by the possibility of signing Messi.
He expressed his shock that Messi didn’t choose Saudi Arabia, as the financial offer was incredibly lucrative, even surpassing what Ronaldo was earning. Ultimately, Messi opted for Miami instead.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
