Lionel Messi has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract.
Messi was set to extend his 21-year stay at Barcelona by signing a new five-year deal this summer. The 34-year-old said 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.
However, Barcelona are hamstrung by La Liga’s rules on club spending and even halving Messi’s pay was not enough to ensure he remained at the Nou Camp. He confirmed in a teary press conference that he will be leaving Barcelona this summer after a lifetime at the club, and is now finalising terms with PSG.
The Argentine forward had two other options after leaving Barcelona last week but has chosen to move to the French club on a two-year deal. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner is travelling to Paris on Tuesday afternoon to seal his move to the French club on a deal worth £25m per year after tax, plus bonuses.
