Messi has signed a 2-year deal at the Parc des Princes worth a reported £25 million per year after tax, not including bonuses. The 34-year-old had spent his entire career at Barcelona, but after his contract with the club expired in June, the Catalan giants were unable to extend his stay with a new deal due to “financial and structural obstacles.”
The Argentinian spent 21 years at the Camp Nou and played a key role in the club winning 35 honours in that time, including 10 La Liga titles, 7 Copas del Rey, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles. Considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, Messi racked up an astonishing 672 goals and 305 assists in 778 games for Barcelona. The forward also boasts a record of 76 goals and 53 assists in 153 appearances for the Argentina national team, with whom he won the Copa America earlier this summer.
“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” Messi said. “Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes.”
Messi’s arrival is the latest in a remarkable transfer window for PSG. The club have also snapped up Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos, Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum, and AC Milan’s Gianluigi Donnarumma all on free transfers as well as splashing out £54 million on Inter Milan right-back Achraf Hakimi. These stars join an already stacked PSG squad which includes Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Angel Di Maria, making the Parisians the most glamourous team in the world.
Messi saw his new team-mates open their Ligue 1 campaign with a 4-2 win at home to Strasbourg on Saturday. His first appearance for PSG at the Parc des Princes is likely to come in their clash with Clermont, which is slated for 12 September. Tickets for the game are on sale now, starting from €24.
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