Paris: It’s final. Lionel Messi will be joining Paris Saint Germain (PSG) on a two-year deal including an option to extend it by one more year. Lionel Messi will sign the deal which is worth 25 million pounds per year other than bonuses and perks. Also PSG will be paying the tax component in Messi’s salary.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is already en route to the French capital to sign the contract. Messi had two other options after leaving Barcelona last week. However, he has opted to move to PSG for a number of reasons including having Neymar back as teammate. The two are close friends.
Messi – who will receive a £25mn signing-on fee as part of the move – was set to extend his 21-year stay at Barcelona by signing a new five-year contract this summer. However, last Thursday Barcelona announced that ‘financial and structural obstacles’ prevented the deal from materialising. It meant Messi became a free agent.
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The 34-year-old said he a couple of days back wanted to stay at Barcelona. He ‘did everything’ he could to continue at Barca and had even agreed to a 50-per-cent wage cut.
Messi’s PSG mission could see the French club compete forcefully in the Champions League. That is the only trophy PSG do not have in their cabinet. It is one of the main reasons why they have decided to sign Messi.
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.