BREAKING: Lionel Messi agrees to join PSG on two-year deal
Lionel Messi has reached an agreement on a two-year contract with Paris Saint Germain (PSG) over a transfer to the French soccer club, according to Sky Sports, adding he was due to arrive in Paris in the coming hours.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner had two other options after leaving Barcelona last week, but has chosen to move to the French club on a deal worth £25m per year after tax.
Messi was set to extend his 21-year stay at Barcelona by signing a new five-year deal this summer.
However, the club announced on Thursday that “financial and structural obstacles” meant the deal could not be completed, meaning Messi left as a free agent.
The 34-year-old said he wanted to stay at Barcelona and “did everything” he could to remain at the club, including agreeing to a 50-per-cent wage cut.
However, Barcelona are hamstrung by La Liga’s rules on club spending and even halving Messi’s pay was not enough to ensure he remained at the Nou Camp.
Messi is now set to join PSG, with their potential to compete for major trophies – including the Champions League – understood to be a key factor in his decision to move to France.
Read Also: Barcelona unveil new captains after Messi’s exit
Messi is also believed to be keen to reunite with Neymar, with whom he won two La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys and the Champions League during their time together at Barcelona.
Asked about a move to PSG at his farewell press conference last weekend, Messi said: “That is one possibility, to reach those heights.
“I had a lot of calls, a lot of interested clubs. At the moment, nothing is closed, but we are talking about a lot of things.”
Messi, the 34-year-old record goalscorer for both Argentina and Barcelona, is one of the greatest players of all time.