Lionel Messi sent an emotional farewell message to two PSG players who left the club on a permanent deal.
Leandro Paredes and Ander Herrera have received farewell letters from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Lionel Messi.
Paredes and Herrera will both leave Parc des Princes on loan deals that will last the entire season. The Argentine’s entrance was recently confirmed by Juventus, according to an official statement. Herrera, meanwhile, has returned to Athletic Bilbao, where he played for the club from 2011 to 2014.
The pair received the best wishes from Lionel Messi for their upcoming new teams. The illustrious forward posted the following on Instagram in English:
“Good luck on your new journey, @leoparedes20. In Paris, we were able to enjoy so many lovely things, and I will always cherish our time spent together.”
In the same article, Messi praised Herrera for assisting him in adjusting to life at PSG after leaving Barcelona in the previous summer. He stated:
And good luck to you as well, @anderherrera. It was nice meeting you, and I appreciate how you made me feel welcome right away. I also wish you well as you make a comeback to La Liga.
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This season, Herrera did not appear in a single match for Christophe Galtier’s team, and Paredes played just 61 minutes in four games. But after spending a good amount of time at the Parc des Princes, both players leave.
For the Ligue 1 powerhouse, Paredes played 117 times across all competitions, recording three goals and ten assists. During his career at PSG, he won two French Cups and three Ligue 1 championships.
While playing for the Parisians, Herrera made 95 appearances and contributed six goals and six assists. With the French powerhouses, the Spaniard won two Ligue 1 championships and two French Cups.
By his own high standards, Messi’s first season at PSG was subpar. He only managed to score 11 goals in all competitions, including a pitiful six in 26 league games.
Messi, though, has had a fantastic start to the 2022–23 season. The Argentine has already scored three goals and provided four assists in four Ligue 1 games. He scored in PSG’s Trophy des Champions triumph over FC Nantes as well.
Messi appears to be thriving alongside a healthy Neymar Jr., who has so far this season put up incredible stats. The Brazilian has contributed six assists and nine goals in six games across all competitions.
With five goals in four Ligue 1 games, Kylian Mbappe is also slowly picking up speed.