Al-Ittihad president Aanmaar Al Haili has expressed a desire to bring Lionel Messi to the club and is prepared to offer him an arrangement allowing the player to determine his own financial terms and contract length. Al Haili said that if Messi wanted to sign for Al-Ittihad, he would be given a blank cheque on which he could write any amount he wished, for a contract of any duration he chose, including a lifetime term. Al Haili also confirmed a previous attempt to sign Messi after the player's departure from Paris with an offer of a contract worth 1.4 billion euros, equivalent to 88 million euros per year. He added that Messi declined this offer as his family preferred America. Al Haili stated that the possibility for Messi to join Al-Ittihad remains open.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund are once again attempting to lure Lionel Messi to the Middle East and have opened talks with his representatives over a potential move from Inter Miami. It's not yet known which of PIF’s four clubs—Al Ahli, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr— he would be lined up to join. Transfermarkt currently estimates his market worth at 20 million euros.