Football fans all over the world are still gasping in shock and bending down to pick their jaws up from the floor.
This is because the most unexpected transfer in recent times has just taken place.
Lionel Messi, often regarded as the best footballer of all time, has cut ties with his boyhood club FC Barcelona.
While the football world is still coming to terms with the move, Messi has already put pen to paper with his new club.
Lionel Messi Signs 2-Year Contract with PSG for SGD$63 Million a Year
Messi has signed a two-year contract with French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), to the delight of fans in Paris.
The contract has the option of an additional year and entitles the Argentinian to a reported 40 million euros (around S$63 million) a year.
“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” Messi said.
“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 made the number 10 his own at Barcelona, but will wear number 30 in PSG, the number he wore when began his professional career.
❤️ #PSGxMESSI 💙
🛒 https://t.co/gbAxUj8yNo pic.twitter.com/6TsVp8YLip
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 10, 2021
Unsurprisingly, something short of a stampede was witnessed outside the Paris airport as fans clambered over each other to catch a glimpse of their new football star.
The police actually had to push back against the thickening stream of fans to stop metal barriers at the airport from toppling over.
Messi certainly knew how to win over PSG fans, as he arrived in a T-shirt with the words “Ici c’est Paris”, meaning “This is Paris.”
The phrase is a popular PSG fan chant, one often heard during games at the Parc des Princes stadium.
It’s here where Messi will officially be unveiled to fans on Saturday, just before their game against Strasbourg.
A Teary Farewell
Messi, now 34, spent 21 years of his life at Barcelona.
In his time there, he scored 672 goals and won 35 trophies, including ten La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.
Messi was certainly sad to leave his boyhood club, as everyone could see in an emotional press conference just before he left.
“I’ve been here my entire life, I’m not ready for this,” he said.
He said he and his family were convinced they would stay at the club, which is what they wanted “more than anything”.
As for why he had to leave, well, it’s simple: Barcelona couldn’t afford to pay him.
Despite coming to an agreement where Messi would take a 50% pay cut, the deal didn’t comply with the financial rules of La Liga – the top professional football division of the Spanish football league.
Under these rules, player wages and acquisition costs must be limited to 70% of club revenues. Even without Messi, salaries would account for 95% of Barcelona’s income.
Some Barcelona fans, devastated by Messi’s departure, have blamed those at the top, and even some other players who are on high wages.
Worse, until they sell some players and sort out their finances, Barcelona cannot register any of their new signings.
PSG, on the other hand, are now a force to be reckoned with, with Neymar, Messi, Di Maria, and Mbappé as their front line, defenders all over the world will be shaking in their boots.
Read Also:
- Everything About Lionel Messi’s Departure from FC Barcelona & Why It’s Such a Big Deal
- 10 Facts about Lionel Messi, Arguably One Of The Best Footballers In The World
Featured Image: Twitter (PSG)
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