Cristiano Ronaldo Leaves Real Madrid To Join Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo is leaving Real Madrid to sign with Italian champions Juventus, both clubs announced on Tuesday.

The reigning Ballon d’Or winner will end his nine-year spell at Real Madrid with a move to Turin following a reported rift with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez over a new contract.

“Real Madrid would like to communicate that we have listened to the wish and request expressed by player Cristiano Ronaldo and have agreed to his transfer to Juventus FC,” the Champions League holders said in a statement.

Juventus then confirmed the clubs had agreed on a transfer fee of €100 million (approximately $117 million) — a Serie A record — with the Italian club also paying €12 million in ancillary fees to land the 33-year-old Ronaldo, who signed a four-year contract.

Sources confirmed to ESPN’s Gabriele Marcotti that Real Madrid were willing to match Juventus’ gross salary o

Ronaldo’s existing contract with Madrid had three years left to run at an estimated €38.5 million ($45.2 million) gross annually, making it worth significantly less than those of his fellow superstars — Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (€73.6 million) and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar (€66 million) — despite the Portugal captain helping Madrid extend their record haul of European Cup trophies to 13.

And despite Ronaldo’s Madrid deal having an official release clause of €1 billion, they were willing to accept an offer worth 10 percent of that sum in order to free up space and capital to replenish their successful but ageing squad under new coach Julen Lopetegui.

Ronaldo, Real Madrid’s all-time top goal scorer, will leave the club after leading them to four Champions League titles — including three in as many years — and he claimed a host of personal accolades and records from his time in Spain, including four of his five Ballon d’Or awards.

Offer of around €55 million annually (approximately $64.5 million), but Ronaldo still opted to leave.

He issued a statement through Real Madrid calling his time in the Spanish capital as possibly “the happiest years of my life.”

“These years at Real Madrid and in this city of Madrid have quite possibly been the happiest years of my life,” he wrote. “I only have feelings of great gratitude to this club, to the fans and to the city. I can only give thanks to all of them for the love and affection that I have received.

“However, I feel that the time has come to begin a new stage of my life and that is why I have asked the club to accept my transfer. I feel it this way and I am asking everyone, and especially my fans, to please understand me.”

Source: Kwesesports