Following his shocking departure from Barcelona, Argentine star Lionel Messi has completed his move to Paris Saint -Germain (PSG), by signing a two-year deal with an option for a third season. The 35-year-old player arrived in Paris on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, to seal his deal with the French Club. He joins PSG after Barcelona […]
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Following his shocking departure from Barcelona, Argentine star Lionel Messi has completed his move to Paris Saint -Germain (PSG), by signing a two-year deal with an option for a third season.
The 35-year-old player arrived in Paris on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, to seal his deal with the French Club. He joins PSG after Barcelona failed to sign a five-year deal with him due to financial and structural obstacles.
Messi On Leaving Barcelona and Joining PSG
“Everyone knows that my exit from Barcelona was very hard, but I’m very happy to come here and can’t wait to start training and join my teammates,” Messi said after leaving his former club. “First of all I want to thank the President for his words I’m very happy. You know my exit from Barcelona was a hard moment after so many years it was a difficult change after so much time”.
On joining PSG, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner said, “I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain. Everything about the club matches my football ambitions. I know how talented the squad and the coaching staff are here. I am determined to help build something special for the club and the fans, and I am looking forward to stepping out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes.”
Messi’s new two-year deal, with an option for a third, is worth £21 million per year Mirror UK reports. He will also receive a signing-on fee of £21m.
The new PSG player will wear the No. 30 jersey, the same number he wore in his first two seasons with Barcelona.
What This Means For PSG
Messi is already boosting PSG’s Instagram following before his first match. Since he joined the his club, a lot of his fans have flocked to follow the club’s social media pages.
When the club started talks about his signing, PSG had 38.4million followers. However, as of today, August 11, 2021, the French club has seen an increase by a staggering four million Instagram followers which equals 42.7 followers. PSG’s followers grew from 19 million to 42.7 million followers since they got linked to Messi.
With Messi, PSG now has a chance to their long Champions league drought and finally win a trophy. In a bid to win the league, PSG previously signed champions league winners, Sergio Ramos, and Georgio Wijnalduma.
PSG stands a better chance now with Messi, who helped Barcelona win four Champions League trophies, Neymar, his former teammate at Barcelona and France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe.
Speaking at his first press conference as a PSG player, the morning after signing his new deal, Messi shared his dreams of winning a Champions League trophy with his new team.
The 34-year-old Argentina star said, “My goal and dream is to raise another Champion’s (League Trophy) and I believe that I am in the right place to have the best chances to achieve that. When you see this squad, you really want to play with them because there are so many possibilities. We have the same goal. And Neymar of course did a lot and was important for my choice.”
Messi’s signing also means more money for PSG. According to Gregoire Kopp, creator of GRK Impact & Comms, a management agency, “Lionel Messi was responsible for 30% of Barcelona’s income.”
PSG, like other clubs, has been facing financial losses for the past year. Having Messi on the team should lead to a rise in its finances. Already, 200,000 to 300,000 PSG shirts are estimated to be sold as a result of Messi’s arrival. His PSG 30 Jersey has already been sold out as millions have preordered it.
Messi’s signing brings endless possibilities for PSG because of his football status, the number of followers he has built, and Greatest of All Time (GOAT) playing skills.
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