Juventus Set to Part Ways with Ronaldo

Juventus are considering parting ways with superstar forward Cristiano Ronaldo come summer, as per reports.

The Portuguese left Real Madrid for Turin in the summer of 2018 and has, since then, fired the Bianconeri to two successive Serie A titles under Max Allegri and Maurizio Sarri. However, a failure to breach the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League with Juventus has been a major talking point of Cristiano Ronaldo's time with the Italian champions.

With his salary said to be worth five times that of the next highest earner, Paulo Dybala, Juventus are exploring the possibility of putting him up for sale in the coming window.

The reports surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo's potential exit have intensified after Andrea Pirlo's comments about his 'egotistical' forwards after their win against Ferencvaros in the UEFA Champions League.

Speaking after the game, the Juventus coach said on Cristiano Ronaldo and co;

"I talk to my players a lot, but they make the choices when they are on the pitch. They could’ve been less egotistical and killed off the game earlier. We are playing with two forwards plus two wide men. Once we get everyone in shape, we can evaluate who to use together. So far, not everyone has been at 100 per cent, so it’s been normal to rotate them and leave one out."

His £28m-a-year wages are also proving to be a stumbling block due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. This figure is said to be worth almost five times that of Paulo Dybala's salary, whose contract they are struggling to renew due to the financial situation at the moment.

The ex-Real Madrid man's current deal at the club is set to expire in the summer of 2022, and Juventus are not expected to offer him an extension. This is why they could potentially try to recoup at least some of the €117m they invested in him in 2018. With the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and a handful of MLS clubs interested, they could try and cut their ties with him this summer.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored in Rome at the weekend in their 1-1 draw against Lazio, but was forced off the pitch towards the end of the game due to an ankle injury. The Portuguese clashed with Lazio midfielder Luis Alberto and picked up a knock. Speaking on Cristiano Ronaldo's injury, Andrea Pirlo revealed;

"[Cristiano] Ronaldo is a key player not only for us but for all the teams he has played for. Unfortunately he had an ankle problem and was forced to leave the field."

It remains to be seen if the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will remain at the club beyond the coming summer transfer window.

November 09, 2020