Silly season: How did the football transfers game get so Messi?
The world's most valuable football team can no longer afford its most valuable player. We look at how the football player transfer market works.
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HE cried, his fans wept and the football world was left in consternation. After 21 years at Spanish giant Barcelona, Lionel Messi bade farewell and flew to France to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) earlier this month in a move that made headlines all around the world. With 672 goals in 778 games and 34 trophies during his stint at Barcelona, Messi is by far one of the most recognisable and popular athletes today.
The six-time winner of the Ballon d'Or turned into the world's most desirable free agent on June 30, when his contract expired and Barcelona said they could no longer afford to keep him, even after a pay cut, under La Liga salary rules. Barcelona president Joan Laporta said trying to keep Messi was a "risk" investment that would have hurt the club for years to come.
So at the age of 34, Messi signed a two-year contract with PSG with an option for a third year.
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