The president of Al Hilal Saudi Club, Fahd bin Nafel, refused to comment on the validity of reports indicating that the team entered negotiations with Lionel Messi to join its ranks, during the next stage.

Press reports have claimed that the club active in the league competition "Roshen" is working to gain the services of the player crowned World Cup 2022 in the upcoming summer transfer market.

The 35-year-old Argentine star's contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of the current season 2023/2022.

Bin Nafel responded to a question from journalists, whether his team is in negotiations with the star of the "tango" team, saying: "Do not ask me about Messi, I told you not to ask me, if something official will tell you the media office in the club by it, for each recent incident."

The head of Azraq al-Hilali declined to deny the veracity of the reports, but preferred not to go into details.

Fahd bin Nafel also told the channel "SSC" Saudi Arabia, after the end of the King's Cup match between Al-Hilal and his counterpart Al-Wahda: "I have the group is more important than any player, any star comes to our club must know that we are a big team, we aim to add and improve, the most important is the entity, the club and the group."

"If you focus on someone you will lose the group, I care about the group and all the staff at the club."