PARIS — Argentine football star Lionel Messi on Tuesday signed with Paris Saint-German to play until at least 2023.
His contract includes the option for an additional year, PSG announced on Twitter. He will wear the no30 jersey.
#BREAKING: #LionelMessi signs a two-year contract with #PSG, with an option for a third year. (@PSG_English) pic.twitter.com/LByW9R6DVp
— Saudi Gazette (@Saudi_Gazette) August 10, 2021
Messi and his family arrived in Paris at 15:30 local time, wearing a shirt emblazoned with the club's slogan "Ici, c'est Paris" (Here is Paris).
At the same time, the club posted a 13-second video on social media filled with references to the player including his six Ballon d'Or awards and the Argentinian flag.
Another post shows the six Ballon d'Or in front of the Eiffel Tower with an hourglass for a caption.
The club has announced that Messi will be presented to the press on Wednesday at 11 a.m. local time in the Parc des Princes auditorium.
The 34-year-old Argentinian superstar announced last week that he would leave FC Barcelona after more than two decades with the Catalan club.
Messi became the most desired free agent in football history after his Barcelona contract expired. The Catalan club had hoped to keep Messi, who agreed to a pay cut, but it still wouldn't have complied with the Spanish league's financial regulations.
Funded for a decade by Qatari sovereign wealth, PSG is one of the few clubs in the world that could finance the signing of Messi.
A person with knowledge of the contract told the Associated Press that he signed a two-year deal with the option for a further season. Messi is set to earn around 35 million euros net annually, the person said.
The footballer will join Brazil's Neymar, who previously played for Barcelona, and French forward Kylian Mbappé.
PSG previously paid 222 million euros to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017, there was no transfer fee for Messi.
Neymar took to Instagram to express his delight with his new teammate, posting a picture of them in his story with the caption: "Back together".
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma described Messi in an interview with Sky Italia on Tuesday as "the strongest player in the world."
"I am moved and happy at the idea of having him in our team," he added.
Messi has won six Ballon d’Or titles in a sign of his status as one of the greatest players of all time. — Euronews with inputs from agencies
