After months of speculation surrounding his future at Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo has finally put pen to paper and signed for Juventus in a deal worth up to €112 million.
The move makes the 33-year-old the fourth most expensive player of all time – while it’s by far and away the priciest signing of anyone aged over 30. Ronaldo will reportedly earn an annual salary of €30 million to play for the Serie A giants, while the club have confirmed they sold over half a million replica shirts emblazoned with his name and iconic number 7 within 24 hours of the Portuguese’s signature being announced.
Despite reaching the twilight years of his career, Ronaldo has proved over the course of 2018 so far that he still has a lot to offer on the field. He netted 44 times for Real Madrid in all competitions, totalling an outstanding 450 in 438 appearances during his nine-season tenure at the Bernabeu. He also scored four goals at this summer’s World Cup as his Portugal side exited in the last 16.
CR7’s exploits have made him a favourite with bookmakers as well, with a number of Ronaldo at Juventus specials on offer ahead of the new season. As of July 13, Betway has the star at 8/11 odds-on favourite to scoop the Serie A Golden Boot, while more humorously, the same firm has him at 9/1 to start the season with a goatee beard.
It is believed the surprise departure of coach Zinedine Zidane hastened Ronaldo’s move away from Los Blancos, and the superstar is likely to see out the remainder of his career in Turin. With 85 goals for his country – the second highest total in international football – the 33-year-old will be keen not to use Juventus as a retirement ground, though, and push on as he looks to add to his numerous accolades and write another chapter in what has been a fascinating story.
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