In July 2018, Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo made a record-breaking €100-million transfer – the most expensive ever for a player over 30 years old – to Italian club Juventus from Real Madrid, his team for nine years.
And Giovanni Gigli, the ex-chairman of Juventus, told Radio Punto Nuovo that signing the Portuguese was a mistake because he was “too expensive”, adding that the club should “free Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of the season,” despite his contract running until 2022.
Journalist Nicolo Schira had earlier claimed on Twitter that Juve’s management was considering selling the forward because he costs the club €31million a year, while the media later suggested that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could be sold for €60 million. And according to Gigli, it was all “up to Juventus” now.
“They’ve been paying him €1 million per goal,” the former president claimed.
In 2018, Ronaldo’s transfer from Real Madrid cost the Bianconeri a staggering €100 million, plus additional fees that totalled several million. The striker’s price tag was the heftiest ever paid for a footballer over the age of 30.
Ronaldo has amassed 92 goals in 121 appearance for Juve, but so far hasn’t been able to attain Champions League honors with the club – which it so badly craves.
On Tuesday, the Old Lady lost to FC Porto on away goals in the last 16 with Ronaldo’s name missing on the scoresheet.