Soccer star Lionel Messi agrees to join Paris Saint-Germain, flies to France

Lionel Messi finalized statement connected his Paris Saint-Germain declaration and was flying to France connected Tuesday to implicit the determination that confirms the extremity of a career-long relation with Barcelona.

The 34-year-old Argentina prima has agreed a two-year woody with the enactment for a further season, a idiosyncratic with cognition of the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The idiosyncratic spoke connected information of anonymity to sermon the declaration up of it being signed and the authoritative announcement.

Messi is acceptable to gain astir 35 cardinal euros ($41 million) nett annually, the idiosyncratic said. Messi’s begetter and agent, Jorge, besides confirmed Messi was moving to PSG successful a little speech with reporters astatine Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport connected Tuesday.

Funded for a decennary by Qatari sovereign wealth, PSG is 1 of the fewer clubs successful the satellite that could concern the signing that links Messi up with Brazil guardant Neymar and France World Cup victor Kylian Mbappe.

While PSG had to wage 222 cardinal euros (then $261 million) to motion Neymar from Barcelona successful 2017, determination was nary transportation interest for Messi.

Messi became the astir desired escaped cause successful shot past aft his Barcelona declaration expired. The Catalan nine had hoped to support Messi, who agreed to a wage chopped but it inactive wouldn’t person complied with the Spanish league’s fiscal regulations.

PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino was successful interaction with his chap Argentine arsenic Barcelona announced past Thursday that Messi would beryllium leaving the nine helium joined arsenic a 13-year-old earlier winning each large trophy.

Messi has won six Ballon d’Or titles successful a motion of his presumption arsenic 1 of the top of all-time.

PSG volition beryllium hoping not lone that Messi helps the squad regain the French rubric it mislaid to Lille past play but yet triumph the Champions League.

If the nine uses a 4-3-3 formation, the beforehand 3 could spot Messi deployed connected the close with Neymar connected the near and Mbappe betwixt them arsenic the halfway forward.