The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million

by **Crimey** Sun 07 Aug 2011, 9:05 am

Palermo midfielder Javier Pastore has signed a five-year deal with Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain. PSG have reportedly paid the Italian side a French record £37m to make the Argentine, 22, their eighth signing of the summer. Boosted by funds from the Qatar Investment Authority, PSG have already spent around £73.6m this summer. Pastore, who was linked with Chelsea, said: "I want to be a part of PSG, a great club with a great history." Pastore played 35 matches for Palermo last season, scoring 11 goals.

The Qatar Investment Authority bought a controlling stake in the club in May. Former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko and Kevin Gameiro, who scored 22 league goals for fellow Ligue 1 side Lorient last season, have also moved to the French capital this summer.

But the Argentina international's move from the Italian Serie A side is PSG's highest-profile acquisition in their bid for a first league title since 1994. Pastore began his career with Talleres and then Huracan in Argentina, before moving to Palermo in 2009. Pastore has won nine caps for Argentina and played in the recent Copa America, where Argentina lost to Uruguay in the quarter-finals. PSG's previous record transfer was the £20m they paid Real Madrid for Nicolas Anelka in 2000.

They finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season and will be playing in the Europa League this term.

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14353834.stm

PSG are going down the Chelsea/Man City route now and to be honest I think it could work, they are certainly the team I would say are most likely to win the Europa League this year. I'm not convinced that this lad is worth £37 million, he's relatively unproven and I think the only reason the price has been pushed up to that price is because of the calibre of clubs interested in him.

by sodhat Mon 08 Aug 2011, 1:13 pm

He is a very talented player and although a touch high I think in this market a playmaker like him will certainly be £25-30 million.

A bit surprised he went for PSG -- they have money sure, but the league is weaker than the big three in Europe and I expect there are plenty of clubs that could have matched his wage demands. City and Chelsea, and even United.

by The Galveston Giant Tue 09 Aug 2011, 12:52 am

Going to be interesting to see what kind of team they end up with in the future, 37 million is crazy though, Rangers just signed their Romanian International defender for 800,000, bargain. I'd imagine there's probably a little difference in the quality of the two though.

by Guest Wed 17 Aug 2011, 12:16 pm

PSG have been linked with some crazy players, and have brought some very good one's.

Been taken over by new people, so why not spend it Pastore is class and one for the future.

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The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million

The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million

Re: The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million

Re: The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million

Re: The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million

Re: The chase is over: PSG sign Javier Pastore for a reported £37 million