PARIS - Javier Pastore was unveiled as a Paris Saint-Germain player on Monday and denied there was any added pressure on him as France's most expensive player ever.

The 22-year-old Argentinian midfielder signed from Italian Serie A side Palermo on Saturday for 42 million euros ($59.8 million), breaking the previous record set when PSG paid Real Madrid 33 million euros for Nicolas Anelka in 2000.

"I am not thinking about this record transfer; that is a subject between the club and my agent," said Pastore at a press conference at the Parc des Princes.

"As for me, I came here to play football and only that. In my career, I have yet to win any titles and so that is my sole motivation: to win titles.

"I have dedicated myself to football since I was nine so I don't feel under any pressure."

PSG, under its new Qatari owners, has spent more than 84 million euros during the summer, more than any other club in Europe, as it also brought in Jeremy Menez, Blaise Matuidi, Salvatore Sirigu and Kevin Gameiro.

Pastore said he was not concerned by the prospect of adapting to a new club, city and country.

"Fear? No, I have no fear," he said.

"It is true that Paris is an important club in the world of football but I have already shown I can adapt when I left Argentina to go and play in the Italian championship. I generally adapt quickly to new towns, new clubs."

Also speaking at the press conference, PSG's new sporting director, Leonardo, also welcomed the arrival of the Argentina international.

"Javier is a world-class player, very important for us," said Leonardo. "We are very happy that he chose to continue his career in Paris after Palermo.

"He is a player who already understands what we are trying to do at PSG. Javier is a young and very talented player, like Menez, Matuidi, Sirigu and Gameiro. We are just carrying on with the direction the club has taken."

Pastore signed too late to take part in the opening match of Ligue 1 at the weekend, which saw PSG lose 1-0 at home to Lorient.

However, he said it was too early to be overly concerned about the team's prospects for the season.

"I do not think you can judge from the game in Paris, it is too early for that," he said.

"The preparation of my teammates only just ended and mine is just beginning. So we still need a bit of time to make the team work.

"However, a full stadium like there was at the Parc des Princes on Saturday is always a pleasure to see. But really, with this group of players, I think we can do very good things."

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 08/10/2011 page24)