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Messi set to join Neymar at PSG after shock exit from Barcelona

Tuesday, August 10th, 2021 15:22 | By
Lionel Messi. PHOTO/SKY SPORTS

Lionel Andreas Messi has agreed a move to join Paris St-Germain for the upcoming 2021/2022 season after his shock exit from Spanish giants Barcelona.

The move by Argentine Captain to join the French club elicited mixed reactions, with PSG fans already thronged the French capital to witness the six time ballon d'or winner.

The Argentina talisman will sign a two-year deal worth £25m per year after tax, but the 34-year-old will have the option to extend the deal by a third year.

Messi was set to sign a new five-year contract at Barcelona, but the club were unable to complete the deal, bringing an end to his 21-year stay at the Camp Nou.

Barcelona President Joan Laporta had placed a £25m signing-on fee for the mercurial striker to extend his 21-year stay at Barcelona by signing a new five-year deal this summer.

However, in a drastic turn of events the club announced on Thursday that "financial and structural obstacles" meant the deal could not be completed, meaning Messi left as a free agent.

During his last press conference, an emotional Messi reiterated how 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 due to the financial constraints brought about by the pandemic.

With the move finalised the newly crowned Copa América champion will reunite with Neymar, with whom they won two La Liga titles, three Copa Del Reys and the Champions League during their time together at Barcelona.

Messi who is considered one of the greatest players of all time by many football enthusiasts, Messi scored a record 672 goals in 778 games for the Catalan side, the club he joined as a 13-year-old.

He went on to win the Ballon d’Or a record six times and lifted 35 trophies with the Barcelona.

Messi will become PSG’s fourth free-transfer signing this summer after the arrivals of Georginio Wijnaldum, defender Sergio Ramos and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma without the exception of right-back Ashraf Hakimi who joined from Inter Milan.

With PSG fanatics already waiting for the unveiling of probably the best player to have ever graced the football world, only time can tell what the new partnership of Messi, Neymar and Mbappé could accomplish during the next three years at the Parc des Princes.

The Parc des Princes is an all-seater football stadium in Paris, France, in the south-west of the French capital.

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