Real Madrid's French international striker Nicolas Anelka has signed for his former club Paris Saint Germain for 5.5 billion pesetas ($33 million), Marca magazine's website reported Friday.
"Nicolas Anelka has officially ceased to be a Real Madrid player following the sealing of an agreement between Madrid and Paris Saint Germain to transfer him to the French side for 5.5 billion pesetas," Marca said.
The deal, a French record, ends weeks of speculation.
French daily Le Parisien had reported Thursday that a deal was all but completed although sports newspaper L'Equipe had warned "it's not that simple" on Friday morning and asked why it was all taking so long.
PSG president Laurent Perpere and newly-elected Real chief Florentino Perez had Thursday held two rounds of talks with the player's brother and agent, Didier, to finalize the deal and Didier Anelka was reported as saying afterwards that his brother would report for training with the Spaniards on July 31.
Now, only a medical examination remains to be completed.
The transfer brings to an end Anelka's controversial spell with the European club champions after he served 22 days of a 45-day ban and was heavily fined last season for missing three days of training, claiming the team were not playing to suit his style.
Anelka did make a successful return to the side and scored crucial goals in both legs of the semifinal against German champions Bayern Munich before playing a part in the 3-0 win over Valencia in the final in Paris.
The 21-year-old returned Friday from holiday in Martinique and next week will begin the French season with the club with whom he began his carrer in 1997 before English Premiership giants Arsenal snapped him up for a bargain fee of $750,000.
Gunners' coach Arsene Wenger nurtured Anelka and turned him into a top international and the moody forward was a member of the the League and Cup double-winning side of 1998 and scored 18 goals in his last season with Arsenal.
But he moaned he did not like London and said he found the British media intrusive - suggesting that his Real adventure was also likely to reach a sticky end as the Spanish media were equally football-obsessed.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
