Lionel Messi has joined Paris Saint-Germain after his emotional exit from Barcelona.
The French club verified this during a video on their Twitter handle on Tuesday.
Before joining PSG, Messi symbolized Barcelona for all of his 17-year professional career.
Sources had reported that Lionel Messi arrived at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday to finish the paperwork.
The 34-year-old was supported by his wife and three children.
His father Jorge, who is also his agent, was also present during the signing.
Asked by reporters if his son would sign for the French club, Jorge Messi said, “Yes”.
PSG has spent the last few days trying to finalize an agreement to sign Messi following his exit from Barcelona, the club he has represented for the entirety of his 17-year professional career so f
In reality, with Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City having ruled themselves out, PSG became the sole club that could afford a deal worth 35 million euros ($41 million) a year.
Messi leaves Barcelona with 672 goals in 778 appearances, a record tally for one club.
Messi won 35 trophies at the Camp Nou after joining Barca aged 13, but his last appearance was a damp squib: a 2-1 home defeat behind closed doors against Celta Vigo in May.
His trophy stint includes four Champions League and 10 La Liga titles.
Messi’s arrival would make PSG even more evident favorites to reclaim a French title they lost last season to Lille.
This summer PSG has already added veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid and Italy’s Donnarumma, the star of Euro 2020.
They have also signed Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, yanking the Dutchman from under the noses of Barcelona, and spent 60 million euros on Inter Milan right-back Achraf Hakimi, who scored on his PSG league debut at the weekend.
There is an opportunity that Messi might be unveiled to supporters on Saturday when PSG host Strasbourg and a poker hand of nearly 48,000 are going to be allowed for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck 18 months ago.
