Lionel Messi has agreed a two-year deal to affix Paris St-Germain following his shock exit from Barcelona, says BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague.
The deal, which has the choice of a 3rd 12 months, is topic to a medical.
The 34-year-old Argentina captain left Barca – the one membership he has ever performed for – as they have been unable to afford a brand new deal below La Liga’s monetary truthful play guidelines.
Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG completed second to Lille in Ligue 1 final season.
“It is all been confirmed. Lionel Messi goes to be a PSG participant,” Balague mentioned on BBC Radio 5 Reside. “That is it, it is finished. It is occurred in the previous few minutes.
“For the time being there are as a lot police as there are followers [at the stadium]. That is going to alter quickly. There’s eight cameras right here, once more that is going to alter. It looks as if it’s a two-year deal, plus one.
“His concept was to do it at Barcelona however it may be PSG. Then if he feels OK he’ll keep yet one more 12 months possibly. However in any case his goal is to be at PSG after which to do properly within the Qatar World Cup.”
Footage of Lionel Messi are being taken down on the Nou Camp
Thought-about one of many best gamers of all time, Messi scored a report 672 objectives in 778 video games for Barca, the membership he joined as a 13-year-old.
He gained the Ballon d’Or a report six occasions and lifted 35 trophies with the Catalan membership.
The signing of Messi – who can be reunited with former Barca team-mate Neymar on the Parc des Princes – is without doubt one of the most noteworthy captures in soccer’s historical past.
He’ll play in a entrance three alongside the 2 most costly gamers of all time – Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Except there are any late hitches, he’ll turn out to be PSG’s fourth free-transfer signing this summer time after the arrivals of Netherlands midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, Spain defender Sergio Ramos and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Extremely rated Morocco right-back Achraf Hakimi additionally joined from Inter Milan.
PSG are but to win the Champions League in a decade of Qatari possession and subsequent heavy funding, with the 2020 remaining defeat towards Bayern Munich the closest they’ve come.
Balague mentioned: “Clearly what PSG’s possession need is a crew that’s within the Champions League remaining yearly.
“With Messi you have got a bonus. Pochettino being in cost and his contract being renewed as properly means they’ve an concept how to do this and Messi will complement that.
“They are going to win the league, that is virtually a given now, though they misplaced final season. It will likely be a much less aggressive league which suggests he shall be contemporary in fact, or must be, for the Champions League marketing campaign.”
Messi had agreed a brand new deal – on 50% of his outdated wages – to remain at Barcelona however the membership couldn’t afford to implement it as a result of they have been to this point above the wage restrict allowed by La Liga.
“He used to earn 140m euros gross a 12 months at Barca, that is round £125m,” mentioned Balague. “Take off about 40-50% for tax.
“He agreed to remain at Barcelona by decreasing his wages by 50%, no more than that as a result of that is unlawful to take action [under Spanish law]. Mainly the league would not consider he was decreasing his wages to zero, which is what Barcelona might have tried to do as they’re 1bn euros in debt. Mainly they can not afford him.”
If the deal goes by way of shortly, he may make his PSG debut at house to Strasbourg on Saturday.
