When I first saw Tuttosport link Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, I chuckled and kept scrolling down my timeline. Even as reports from Spain and Portugal poured in, I remained very skeptical. Not only because the sources didnโt seem quite reliable, but financially, a deal to sign Cristiano seemed impossible for any Italian club, let alone the most well-run, Juventus.
And yet here we are. Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the most well-known names on the planet, will play football in Italy. There are so many different ways to look at this but Iโll just give my first thoughts as reports became credible and it actually seemed like it could happen.
While I was shocked and stunned at Juveโs decision to trigger Gonzalo Higuainโs โฌ90 million release clause two summers ago, this deal is in a whole โnother stratosphere. Not only considering the money involved (large transfer fee and enormous wages), but also the fact Cristiano would come to play in Serie A. This is a massive coup for a league whose image was tarnished 12 years ago with the Calciopoli scandal; still by most measures recovering and lagging behind the Premier League and La Liga.
Add that to the fact that the club which was punished the harshest from that scandal has risen to win seven consecutive league titles, and has now signed a global superstar makes it even more remarkable. Iโve seen many say that a move like this is the antithesis of Juveโs management style during their recent reign, but perhaps that efficiency from the board for all those years paved the way to make a colossal deal such as this. For comparison, Juveโs top earners are Higuain (โฌ7.5 million salary) and Dybala (โฌ7 million salary), while Cristiano will reportedly earn โฌ30 million a season. Theyโll be paying CR7 more than triple their previously highest paid player. Anyone who has followed Juveโs business model over recent years would never imagine that happening.
It will be interesting to see where Max Allegri looks to insert Cristiano into his lineup. Obviously, thereโs over a month left in the transfer market and some departures are probably to be expected. The biggest question mark will be if Higuain is sold or remains at Juve. Nonetheless, Iโd probably expect to see CR7 on the left wing of the 4-2-3-1 and possibly even as the central striker, maybe more so as he gets a bit older. Assuming Dybala stays, Juventus will potentially have the most electric attack in the world. Watching the Bianconeri is sure to be exciting! If Ronaldo can manage to win a Ballon dโOr while playing in Italy and help Juve win a Champions League title, heโll have a real shout at being the GOAT; or at the least, the most highly decorated football player in history, which is probably a significant reason why he accepted the move. Love him or hate him, Cristiano always strives to be the best in everything he does.
As for the many people saying that this will be fantastic for the league in every way, thereโs no doubt for the potential for that. Cristiano undoubtedly represents a remarkable building block, but I think the league will still need to do proper work on multiple fronts to bolster the reputation and recognition of the league. CR7 is the most followed athlete on social media in the world, presenting Serie A an incredible opportunity to improve their marketability on all social media platforms.
Itโs still hard to process of all it but it is certainly a pleasure to welcome Cristiano Ronaldo to Serie A. One of the greatest footballers of all time will be plying his trade on the Italian peninsula.
