Messi next club odds: Saudi switch looking more likely

The unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia further upped the ante and it is understood he has been suspended for two weeks from training and matches.

On Wednesday, the Saudi Tourism Authority released details of Messi’s trip to Riyadh. The player and his family “indulged in a fine-dining experience” at the Al Bujairi Terrace, visited the VIA Riyadh luxury retail complex and also the 300-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site in Diriyah.

Before heading to Diriyah, the family had been to a farm where they fed Arabian gazelles, the release said.

Amnesty International said earlier this year that Messi’s ambassador role with Saudi Arabia was part of the country’s “aggressive sportswashing programme”, with Saudi authorities “seeking to exploit the celebrity appeal of elite sport to deflect attention from the country’s appalling human rights record”.

Coral’s John Hill said: “Lionel Messi recently visited Saudi Arabia, which has resulted in him picking up a suspension from the French club. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner could return to the Middle East later this year, as he is being well-backed to sign for a Saudi club when his contract expires this summer.”

Lionel Messi next club odds

Evens Barcelona

6/4 Any Saudi Arabian club

6/1 Any MLS club

10/1 Any Argentina league team

20/1 Chelsea, Manchester City

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All odds and markets correct as of date of publication