Lionel Messi has expressed his excitement at playing alongside Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and the rest of his “incredible” Paris Saint-Germain team-mates.

The 34-year-old was officially unveiled as a PSG player on Tuesday, following his shock exit from Barcelona last week. He has rejoined his former Barcelona team-mate Neymar, who has been at PSG since the summer of 2017.

Messi will also be able to play alongside Mbappe, who is commonly regarded as the most exciting young player in the world.

Asked how he feels to be playing alongside the pair, Messi made it clear that he was looking forward to featuring in the same team as them.

He said: “It is really crazy and I am really happy about that. Sharing the day to day life with them and all the squad.

“There are some amazing transfers. The team is incredible. I really want to train and compete now. I am going to be playing with the best players. It's an incredible experience to be able to enjoy this.”

Messi’s arrival in Paris is the shock move of the summer. It is understood Messi, 34, will be paid a sign-on fee of €25 million and has signed a two-year contract with a net salary of €25 million per year.

The deal includes an option of a third year at the same rate. He will wear the No. 30 shirt, the first number he wore at Barcelona.

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What will be the footballing benefit to PSG of Messi’s signing?

Messi knows Pochettino, while his former Barcelona team-mate Neymar has been publicly and privately encouraging him to join PSG since last year.

Moments after PSG beat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League group stage in December, Neymar said: “What I want most of all is to play with Messi again, to be able to enjoy him once again on the pitch. We have to do it next season.”

Messi, meanwhile, recognises his chances of further Champions League glory will be enhanced at PSG, who beat his Barcelona team 4-1 in the Nou Camp en route to eliminating them in last season’s round of 16.

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Does this turn PSG into Champions League favourites?

Messi’s arrival completed a truly remarkable summer of recruitment for PSG.

The French giants have added Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnarumma on free transfers in this window, with Achraf Hakimi also acquired for a significant fee from Inter Milan.

Pochettino already had the team playing well in the second half of last season and finished just one point behind title-winners Lille. Adding all that talent to a squad that contains Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria and Marco Verratti firmly earmarks PSG as clear favourites for the Ligue 1 title.

It is well-established, however, that a Champions League trophy remains tantalisingly out of reach for the PSG hierarchy and that must be the aim this season.

With Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus faltering, Pochettino’s all-star squad must be taken seriously in this season’s edition of the Champions League.

Where can I find out more?

On The Athletic, of course.

Tom Worville and Mark Carey have put together a piece on how Messi fits in with Neymar and Mbappe. Go Deeper below.

(Photos: Getty Images)

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