Lionel Messi transfer LIVE: PSG tease signing as Argentine legend arrives in Paris to complete deal

Lionel Messi is in Paris to be unveiled as Paris Saint-Germain’s latest superstar signing. The Argentine begrudgingly departed Barcelona in a flood of tears given the horrendous state of the La Liga club’s financial situation. Messi has opted to join friends Neymar and Angel Di Maria at the Parc des Princes, with compatriot Mauricio Pochettino welcoming him to the Ligue 1 giants.

PSG will possess a formidable attack with the 34-year-old joining Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to form one of the most mouth-watering tridents in European football history. Without a Champions League title in six years amid Barcelona’s demise, Messi will hope to help deliver the title that PSG covet most, following their semi-final exit at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

While PSG had to pay €222m to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017, there will be no transfer fee for Messi, whose contract expired this summer at the Nou Camp. Instead Messi joins perhaps the greatest ever cast of free agents to arrive at one club, including Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, former Real Madrid stalwart Sergio Ramos and former Liverpool midfielder Gini Wijnaldum.

Follow all the latest updates below as Messi is confirmed as a PSG player.

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Messi arrives in Paris

Wilshere still waiting for new club to approach him

Former England international Jack Wilshere has told talkSPORT that he remains without a club following his release release by Championship side Bournemouth at the end of last season.

“I’ve actually had a good pre-season. I’ve been training with a club just to keep myself fit. I’m in a good place, physically. I’m 29,” the midfielder said.

“I’m waiting for the right opportunity to come up, to be honest. But, having said that, nothing has come up at the minute and there’s nothing happening.

“I’m just waiting. I don’t really know how long I can wait, I don’t really want to wait as long as I did last time when I left West Ham in the summer, and then I didn’t get a club until January when I went to Bournemouth.

“So, hopefully, something will happen sooner rather than later.”

PSG tease Messi announcement

Neymar welcomes Messi to PSG…

Well, would you look at Neymar’s Instagram story?

He appears to think that Lionel Messi to Paris-Saint Germain is a done deal.

The former Barcelona teammates look set to be reunited in the French capital.

Abraham in Chelsea’s Super Cup squad amid Roma rumours

Chelsea have named Tammy Abraham in their squad to face Villarreal in the Uefa Super Cup tomorrow, despite reports that the striker could join Roma.

With Timo Werner having signed for the Blues for almost £60m last summer, and Romelu Lukaku on the verge of a club-record return to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan, Abraham’s chances of game time under Thomas Tuchel this season are looking slim.

Nevertheless, the German coach has named Abraham in the Champions League winners’ squad to take on the Europa League title-holders in Belfast.

Alongside Roma, other clubs interested in Abraham, 23, are reported to be Arsenal, West Ham, Southampton and Atalanta.

Brighton sign Japan Olympic star

Brighton have signed Japan international Kaoru Mitoma on a four-year deal from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale.

The 24-year-old will spend the 2021/22 season on loan at Belgian first division team Royal Union Saint-Gilloise.

Mitoma was part of the squad which narrowly missed out on the bronze medal at their home Olympics, though he scored as a second-half substitute as they lost the third-place placy-off 3-1 to Mexico.

“We’re delighted to be able to sign Kaoru, who arrives off the back of a couple of really strong seasons in Japan,” Brighton technical director Dan Ashworth told the club website.

“As part of his development we have decided to loan him to Union Saint-Gilloise, to help him become accustomed to European football and test himself in a different environment.

“He’s one we have tracked for a while so we are looking forward to seeing how he progresses in the next year and we will be watching him closely during his time in Belgium.”

Full story here:

Brighton sign Japan Olympic star Kaoru Mitoma

The 24-year-old arrives from Kawasaki Frontale but will spend the season on loan in Belgium

West Ham continue Milenkovic, Zouma pursuits

West Ham are continuing negotiations with Fiorentina over the potential £14million signing of defender Nikola Milenkovic, per the Evening Standard.

The 23-year-old, who represents the Serbian national team, can play as a centre-back and a right-back, but West Ham have not given up hopes of signing Kurt Zouma.

It is unclear whether sealing a deal with Chelsea for the central defender would bring an end to the Hammers’ pursuit of Milenkovic – or vice versa.

Fiorentina and Serbia centre-back Nikola Milenkovic

Messi en route to Paris

ESPN’s Julien Laurens has directed his Twitter followers to the Instagram story of Lionel Messi’s wife, Antonela Roccuzzo.

The couple are airborne, en route to Paris!

Messi is expected to be unveiled as a PSG player tomorrow, though an official announcement could come even sooner.

Bayern CEO Kahn questions Messi move

Former Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who now serves as the Bundesliga champions’ CEO, has questioned whether Lionel Messi will be a good fit at PSG.

The Argentine star is set to join the French side any day now, but Kahn says it is too soon to say whether or not the forward will be perform as best he can – or bring out the best in his teammates – under Mauricio Pochettino.

“If you take a look at the names on the shirts, PSG have an exciting squad right now,” Kahn said this week.

“Will it work out, though? Ultimately, will they harmonise with one another? They must show whether they’re actually a team, a real team, if they all fit together.

“It will only work if they can play as a team. The Italians are a good example. Of course they have a few big names, but they showed from the first game [at Euro 2020] that they wanted to succeed as a team.”

Ings settling in at Aston Villa

Here’s Danny Ings looking as statuesque as a Subbuteo player while Aston Villa bed him in following the striker’s move from Southampton last week:

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