Lionel Messi agrees on deal to move to Paris Saint-Germain: Report

Footballer Lionel Messi has agreed on a deal with French club, Paris Saint-Germain, a person with knowledge of the negotiations has told The Associated Press. Messi, one of the game’s great, will now move to France after having spent his entire career at Barcelona. 

The 34-year-old Argentina star is set to sign a two-year contract with the option for a further season, said the report.

Messi is set to earn around 35 million euros ($41 million) net annually, the report said. 

Messi became the most desired free agent in soccer 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.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino was in contact with his fellow Argentine as Barcelona announced last Thursday that Messi would be leaving the club he joined as a 13-year-old before winning every major trophy and a series of world player of the year titles.

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.

While PSG had to pay 222 million euros (then $261 million) to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017, there was no transfer fee for Messi.

Messi became the most desired free agent in soccer 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.

PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino was in contact with his fellow Argentine as Barcelona announced last Thursday that Messi would be leaving the club he joined as a 13-year-old before winning every major trophy.

Messi has won six Ballon d’Or titles in a sign of his status as one of the greatest of all-time.

PSG will be hoping not only that Messi helps the team regain the French title it lost to Lille last season but finally win the Champions League.

If the club uses a 4-3-3 formation, the front three could see Messi deployed on the right with Neymar on the left and Mbappe between them as the center forward.