Paris Saint-Germain have brought in the big one.

The Ligue 1 giants have swooped in and brought in superstar Lionel Messi on a free transfer (Source BBC Sport).

I say a free transfer but obviously the deal is laden with cash. The two year contract will no doubt include a whopping signing-on fee and The Standard are reporting that he’ll earn around €35m a year after tax.

It’s an eye watering deal but that’s the price you will have to pay for one of the greatest of all time.

PSG had already had a very successful transfer window this summer.

In total, they’ve now brought in five new faces.

Only right-back Achraf Hakimi has come with a transfer fee. PSG splashed over £50m to bring in the Moroccan internationalist (Source Sky Sports). The full-back helped Inter Milan to their Scudetto last term, scoring an impressive seven goals and creating eight assists. He has already made is mark in the colours of PSG scoring on his league debut.

Twenty-two year old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was a standout performer for Italy as the Azzurri secured the Euro 2020 crown this summer. His free transfer is a real coup as he’s the shot-stopper that seems destined to take over from Gianluigi Buffon as being a world star goalie!

Veteran centre-back Sergio Ramos won’t need any introduction to any follower of football. He’s been one of the world’s top defenders for over a decade now. The former Real Madrid man has won every major trophy going and his experience at the back could prove invaluable for PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino. It will be a bit surreal seeing Ramos and Lionel Messi in the same side.

Georginio Wijnaldum might have gone under the radar a bit given the names of the other new arrivals but he’s another one that could move the Les Parisiens a step closer to their ultimate goal. He’s a midfielder that can cover every blade of grass, score an important goal or two and do some of that defensive work that the forwards might shy away from.

It’s hard to think of a club enjoying a better transfer window. PSG have brought in five world class talents and the each add a new dimension to the squad.

Messi is clearly the cherry on top of the most expensive cake in the world but he still has it in him to win games almost single-handedly.

The thirty-four year old has already stated that he wants to get going and his hopeful to help PSG reach their goal (must be Champions League glory):

“I am excited to begin a new chapter of my career at Paris Saint-Germain,” .

“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.”

Via Reuters

Now people will point to the Qatari influence at PSG and question the financial fair play laws. A lot have been a bit snobby regarding these deals, especially the Messi one.

I get that some fans felt Leo Messi would stay at FC Barcelona forever but that clearly couldn’t happen and that is mainly due to mismanagement at the Camp Nou. No other club realistically offered Messi the type of deal that the French side did and Messi like anyone else has the right to secure whatever move he wishes to make that benefits him and his family.

Even though this has been an amazing off-season for PSG, that doesn’t mean that they will definitely win the Champions League. It doesn’t even mean that they’ll reclaim the Ligue 1 title, Lille OSC showed last term that surprises can still happen!

Yes they have a sensational front three in Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. Yet that attacking trio could prove to be their downfall in some important ties as they might not offer enough discipline to track-back or press when the chips are down.

Messi’s arrival may also push Mbappe closer to the exit door at the Parc des Princes. I doubt it will be this summer but quite possibly next year.

The latest arrival could also see PSG offloading players to balance the books and that could benefit various other teams in Europe. The likes of Ander Herrera, Keylor Navas, Mauro Icardi, Rafinha, Tilo Kehrer, Idrissa Gueye and Julian Draxler could all be on the lookout for new employers.

It should also bring more eyes to the Ligue 1 product and that could benefit the rest of the French top flight and not just PSG.

Football isn’t a movie or a romantic novel. It’s an industry and in that PSG, whether you agree with it or not, have probably enjoyed the best ever transfer window!

Posted on August 11th, 2021 by scott
Filed under: Article