Photos: Messi arrives Paris, seals two-year deal with PSG

Former Barcelona captain Lionel Messi has agreed to join Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract, according to Sky Sports News.

Already, the six-time Ballon d’Or winner, who reportedly flew out of Barcelona and arrived Paris on Tuesday with his wife, Antonela, had two other options after leaving Barcelona last week, but chose to move to the French club on a deal worth £25m per year after tax, plus bonuses.

PSG and Messi will have the option of extending his stay in France’s capital by a third year.

The football superstar, who joined Barcelona at the age of 13, was set to extend his 21-year stay at the Spanish giants by signing a new five-year deal this summer. However, the club announced last Thursday that “financial and structural obstacles” meant the deal could not be completed, meaning Messi left as a free agent.

The 34-year-old Argentinian 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.

But Barcelona are constrained by La Liga’s rules on club spending and even halving Messi’s pay was not enough to keep him at the Nou Camp.

Messi will be reunited with Neymar in the French capital, where he will also play with Argentine teammate Angel Di Maria, as well as Kylian Mbappe and former foe Sergio Ramos.

While he is not joining a club guaranteed to face Barcelona next season, he could come up against them in Europe, with PSG being a rival for the Catalans if they are to win the Champions League.