MADRID: Five-times world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo has signedfor Juventus from Real Madrid, the La Liga club said in a statement onTuesday.
Ronaldo, who joined Real from Manchester United in 2008 for a then worldrecord 80 million pounds, is the Spanish club’s all-time top scorer with451 goals in all competitions and won two La Liga titles and four ChampionsLeague trophies with them.
Earlier in the day, Ronaldo’s reported move from Real Madrid to Juventusgained momentum with reports that the multiple Ballon d’Or winner hadalready had talks with Massimiliano Allegri, the Italian champion’s coach.
“Hello Ronaldo,” the Gazzetta dello Sport headlined a report saying thatAllegri had called Ronaldo on Monday, suggesting the transfer deal was allbut done.
No details of the conversation were released by the newspaper which saidonly that it was “friendly” while other reports said he had discussedtactics.
La Gazzetta said that Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes was expected in Madridon Tuesday when Real directors are scheduled to meet.
However, rival sports paper Corriere dello Sport said the directors meetinghad been put off so that “nothing would be revealed” about the deal.
“The Cristiano Ronaldo affair has become a game of chess,” the newspapersaid.
However, details about transfer fees were still unclear with Gazetta citing120 million euros ($140.5 million) and the Corriere putting the deal atbetween 130 and 150 million euros. – APP/AFP