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          Paris Saint-Germain confirm Leandro Paredes signing from Zenit Saint Petersburg

          • Jonathan Johnson, PSG correspondentJan 29, 2019, 09:04 AM

          Paris Saint-Germain have finally completed the signing of midfielder Leandro Paredes from Zenit St Petersburg on a four-and-a-half year deal.

          The Argentina international arrives at Parc des Princes for an initial fee that sources have told ESPN FC is around €40 million, with bonuses that will take the deal near the €47m mark.

          PSG coach Thomas Tuchel has been desperate for midfield reinforcements since the start of the transfer window and he has been handed a boost after negotiations were delayed further by haggling over a number of contractual clauses.

          Paredes, who underwent his medical last week at the PSG-approved Aspetar hospital in Doha, Qatar, where he was with Zenit for warm weather training, will wear the No. 8 shirt previously held by Thiago Motta.

          "I am very proud to be joining PSG," Paredes told the club's official website. "After my previous experiences in Italy and Russia, I now have this fantastic opportunity, not only to discover a new league, but above all one to wear one the most prestigious club jerseys in the world.

          "I would like to thank the chairman and the coach for the confidence they have shown in me by signing me. We all know the extraordinary sporting dimension of PSG, its players and staff. I share the same high ambitions and I will do everything I can to give my club what it expects of me as a midfielder. I also look forward to the passionate atmosphere of Parc des Princes, as I grew up with football fever in Argentina."

          With PSG away at Lyon in Ligue 1 on Sunday, he could find himself in contention for a squad role as Tuchel prepares his men for next month's Champions League round of 16 first leg away at Manchester United.

          Paredes, 24, started his career with Boca Juniors in his homeland before moving to Italy with Chievo and then Roma, while he also spent one season on loan with Empoli, and then moved on to Zenit in Russia.

          PSG might not yet be done with the transfer market this month after Everton's Idrissa Gueye handed in a transfer request in the hope of forcing through a dream move.