Paris Saint-Germain Signs Brazilian Midfielder From FC Barcelona

KEY POINTS

Paris Saint-Germain takes a chance on Rafinha
The Barcelona midfielder signed for three seasons with PSG
Rafinha hopes to fill midfield void at PSG

Paris Saint-Germain has added another midfielder to the mix following the signing of Rafael Alcantara do Nascimento from FC Barcelona. The 27-year-old football player signed a deal with PSG for three seasons.

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo rushed to get the deal done with the transfer deadline winding down, Goal reported. Rafinha had one year left in his contract with Barca.

The signing of Rafinha comes not long after PSG completed moves for Moise Kean from Everton, Danilo Pereira from Porto and Sekou Yansane from Dijon over the past couple of days.

His new deal with PSG puts an end to the run of Rafinha with Barcelona, a team he has played for since 2006. The Brazilian player struggled to make the first team, hounded by injuries during his stay. The best year he had was during the 2014-15 season where he managed to see action in 24 matches.

In a way, Les Parisiens may be gambling on Rafinha with his history of injuries.

After a good start, he suffered a serious knee injury in Barcelona's 1-1 draw against Roma during the 2015-16 season. He returned the following season and scored six times in 18 La Liga matches, but knee issues once again cropped up. From there, he struggled to get anything going at Camp Nou.

With his career going nowhere, Rafinha found himself being sent out on loan for the last two years. He saw action for Inter in Serie A and then Celta Vigo, a team he played for during the 2013-14 season. That second stint at Vigo saw him score four goals in 29 Primera Division appearances.

Now, he hopes to get a new lease in his football career under the watch of Thomas Tuchel. PSG has been looking for an attacking midfielder for some time now, and Rafinha has a chance to show that he can fill that void.

On the FC Barcelona official website, the club thanked Rafinha for his commitment and dedication while at Camp Nou, wishing him all the best moving forward. He leaves Blaugrana after being part of 11 major trophies, including the Champions League, three Ligas and three editions of Copa del Rey.