PSG confirm Pastore deal

Paris Saint-Germain confirmed Saturday they have sealed the transfer of Argentine international playmaker Javier Pastore from Palermo in a deal worth a record £38million.

A club source confirmed to AFP that Pastore will become the most expensive signing ever in French football, eclipsing the 33.5 million euros that PSG paid to bring Nicolas Anelka from Real Madrid in 2000.

Pastore chose PSG over Chelsea

The 22-year-old becomes the eighth new recruit at PSG this summer, bringing the transfer tally at Parc des Princes during the close season to over 84 million euros – another record beating the 77.5 million euros that Lyon paid for four players in the summer of 2009.

Pastore has been one of the most coveted players in world football and his transfer to Parc des Princes would announce PSG’s arrival as serious players on the European scene. He was also being tracked by Chelsea.

He played 35 matches for Palermo in Serie A last season, scoring 11 goals.

Chelsea had also bid for Pastore and having had an earlier bid of £33 million turned down by Palermo they lodged a counter-bid this week which was said to be not too dissimilar to that from the French side.

Paris St Germain have continued their spending spree having signed Mohamed Sissoko from Juventus and Salvatore Sirigu from Palermo earlier.

Sissoko, 26, was born in France but represents Mali at international level and has never previously played in Ligue 1.

He enjoyed spells at Valencia and Liverpool before moving to Juventus in 2008 and has now penned a three-year deal at the Parc des Princes.

PSG was founded on 12 August 1970, thanks to the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain.

PSG has been playing in the Ligue 1 since 1974, the current championship record, and is one of the most prestigious outfits in French football having won two League titles, eight French Cups, three League Cups and two Champions Trophies.

Paris Saint-Germain, along withOlympique de Marseille, is the only French club to have won a major European trophy, claiming the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1996.

On 31 May 2011, Paris Saint-Germain announced that Qatar Investment Authority bought a controlling 70% stake in th

Tags: Argentina, Chelsea, France, Italy, Javier Pastore, Ligue 1, Maurizio Zamparini, Palermo, PSG, Seria A