Paris (AFP) – Star Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani has signed a two-year contract extension with Paris Saint-Germain until 2020, the French champions revealed on Tuesday.

“For Edi, it’s a passionate love story with the club, the fans and a city where he feels fantastic,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi of the 30-year-old, PSG’s top scorer with 44 goals in as many matches this season.

“He is, quite simply, the best goal-scorer in the world at the moment,” added Al-Khelaifi.

In Europe, only Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has managed more goals than the ‘Matador’ — he has 47 in 46 matches for Barcelona.

“It was always clear, as I’ve always said, that my absolute desire was to continue my story with Paris, their fans and everyone working hard to make them one of the best clubs in the world,” said Cavani, who has been liberated this season following the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Cavani’s extension gives him the opportunity to surpass Ibrahimovic as the top scorer in PSG’s history if he continues in anything like this season’s goalscoring vein.

He has scored 125 times in 192 games for PSG since joining for 64 million euros ($70 million) from Napoli in 2013, while Ibrahimovic holds the club record of 156 goals, although from just 180 games.

“I have great belief in my club’s ability to achieve all of their objectives,” added Cavani.

“All together we will have have some huge ambitions to share in the coming years.”

Having won the last four French titles, PSG’s big aim for the last few years has been to reach the Champions League final but having been knocked out in the quarter-finals over the last four seasons — twice by Barcelona — they fell in the last 16 this time around, again against the Spanish champions.

Cavani scored in both legs but PSG blew a 4-0 lead from the home match to crash out 6-5 on aggregate.

The Uruguayan has won three titles, two French Cups and four League Cups since moving to Paris.

PSG are on course to complete a third domestic treble in a row — having already won the League Cup this season, they play Monaco in the Cup semi-final on Wednesday and sit level on points with the principality outfit in Ligue 1, although having played a game more.

“This contract extension reaffirms the very strong confidence Edinson Cavani has in our project,” said Al-Khelaifi.

“He is in the middle of making his mark on the history of Paris Saint-Germain with his goals, his will to succeed and his permanent desire to win everything.

“Our fans love the way Edinson gives everything for the club colours he defends, in every minute of every match.”