Ronaldo To Juventus: Real Madrid Prepares Tributes

BRUCE ARCHER

Cristiano Ronaldo will be given a worthy send-off when he leaves Real Madrid for Juventus in a spectacular summer transfer.

Ronaldo looks set to complete a shock move to Serie A champions Juventus to end his Real Madrid career after nine seasons. Cristiano Ronaldo has won four Champions Leagues with Real Madrid and is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner. But the curtain looks set to close on an incredible relationship with Juve bidding £88m to sign the 33-year-old.

He will be paid around £26m a season with Fiat believed to be helping Juve around the FFP issues. Juve are also expected to sell Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala, with Liverpool making their move for the latter.

And Spanish publication Marca claim Real want to give Ronaldo a proper send-off when the transfer is complete.

Juve are hoping to do a deal in time to unveil Ronaldo this Saturday, and while details are not yet known Real want to pay tribute to the Portugal super star.

Jorge Mendes and Florentino Perez have held talks this evening to discuss the transfer and more details are expected to emerge over the next 24 hours. Former Juventus CEO Luciano Moggi claimed Ronaldo has already undergone a medical and is a Juve player.

“In my opinion, he has already signed and passed the medical examination with Juventus in Munich,” Moggi told Italian TV network Tele7Gold.

“This is what I think after talking to important people.”

Ronaldo hinted at a Real Madrid exit in May following the Champions League final in Kiev, and the wheels are now in motion.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has claimed Ronaldo’s head is already in Madrid.

“In his head, Cristiano is a Juventus player,” Balague wrote on Twitter.

“Juve has found a financial way to pay for his wages and fee. Real Madrid willing to let him go.

“No offer has arrived yet to Real, but Jorge Mendes has confirmed to Real that it will. He has never been this close to leaving. Will he?”

He then added: “Ronaldo wants to go, Juve optimistic about getting him and, Real?

“If he wants to go so desperately they will open the door. But ONLY for the right offer.”

It has been claimed Juan Cuardado will give up his No 7 shirt for Ronaldo to take when he joins.

Ronaldo, 33, joined Madrid from Manchester United for £80m – a world record fee at the time – and has become one of the greatest players in history. He scored his 400th club goal in May – after a dispute about one – and is the highest scorer in European competitions with 158. Ronaldo is also the highest scoring European international player with 85, fewer only than Ali Daei in world football.

Ronaldo’s departure may leave a bitter taste in the mouth after disagreements over contracts and promises broke. Ronaldo wanted parity with the top earners in the game – Neymar and Lionel Messi – and was promised a new deal by Perez, only to be let down.

In January he claimed if he was sold for £88m it proved he was unloved. But now Madrid appear to be making room for the next generation, with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in line to be heir to the throne. And Ronaldo has already begun hunting for houses in Turin and he plans for the next chapter in his career.

There has been talk of a departure in the past – including last summer – but end does really appear to be here this time. His agent Mendes admitted: “If that happens it will be just a new stage and a new challenge in his brilliant career.

“If Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Real Madrid he will remain eternally grateful to the club, the president, all the management, all the medical personnel, all the officials without exception, the Adepts and all the Madridistas scattered around the world.”