Lionel Messi has arrived in Paris with his wife and children for his medical with Paris Saint-Germain where he will sign a £1million-per-week, two-year deal after leaving cash-strapped Barcelona.
The 34-year-old was pictured at Barcelona airport alongside his wife Antonella and their three children, Thiago, eight, Mateo, five, and Ciro, three earlier on Tuesday. Antonella, 33, later posted a selfie alongside her husband as they sat on their private jet waiting to fly to France.
But the Argentine star touched down later in the afternoon and was pictured waving to the supporters who had gathered to see Messi’s arrival at Paris–Le Bourget Airport.
PSG have posted a teasing clip to their Twitter account, showing six Ballon d’Ors – the amount Messi has won – in front of the Eiffel Tower and a space in the dressing room between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, who the Argentine is likely to play alongside in attack.
Sources at the French club confirmed Messi’s lawyers had been poring over the contract proposal since Sunday but gave it their approval this morning.
The final points of negotiation were understood to have concerned the six-time Ballon d’Or winners image rights, as well as the breakdown of his wages and various bonuses.
Messi’s annual salary will be in the region of €63m (£53m), putting his earnings at just over £1m a week. He will sit in France’s highest tax bracket of 45 per cent, leaving his take-home pay at around £550,000 per week.
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— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) August 10, 2021
On Sunday, Messi said a tearful goodbye to his club of 21 years which he had joined as child, being signed to the academy and moving from his native Argentina.
He scored 672 goals in 778 appearances but Barcelona were unable to hang onto him after falling foul of financial fair play rules set by Spanish league La Liga.
Barcelona blamed the league but are reportedly in debt to the tune of more than £700 million, meaning that Messi’s contract – even with a 50 per cent pay cut – wasn’t in line with the regulations.
Messi had remained at home in Barcelona awaiting the all-clear to travel to Paris ahead of agreeing a two-year deal, with the option of a third. He was seen leaving his home shortly after 1pm local time to go to the airport.
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