Cristiano Ronaldo and his camp set the football world ablaze after reports surface that the Portuguese star is looking to leave Real Madrid and join Serie A giants Juventus. While nothing is official so far, there is a growing belief that the deal is all but done.
Ronaldo, indeed, could be the first domino to fall in what could be the most exciting European transfer in recent memory. After all, his move to another team and league could trigger a striker merry-go-round unlike anything we have seen before!
There have been plenty of decent transfers and signings in recent days and weeks, but the best is surely yet to come.
Here are the latest football news and transfer rumours in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.
Notable Transfers and Signings
Gianluigi Buffon is perhaps the only player not named Ronaldo to get a share of the transfer spotlight in Europe.
The 40-year-old Buffon is a legend in Juventus where he played 656 times in a 17-year run. However, his epic is bound to fade, just like any other story. He left Juve after winning a seventh consecutive Serie A title and eventually signed with Paris Saint-Germain via a free transfer.
According to reports, Buffon was offered an off-field role at Juve; nevertheless, he chose to keep playing and instead signed with the French Champions. The Italian great, often considered as one of the best goalkeepers of all time, is now set to battle Alphonse Areola for the starting job at Parc des Princes.
Another notable name to make a change this summer is Kevin-Prince Boateng. The well-travelled Ghana international will return to Italy after Sassuolo completed his signing from German club Eintracht Frankfurt.
Boateng enjoyed a solid season in the Bundesliga, scoring six times in 31 league appearances and playing a critical role as Frankfurt fended off champions Bayern Munich to win the DFB-Pokal.
Meanwhile, after quitting international football, Radja Nainggolan joined Inter Milan in a swap deal between Roma and the Milan side.
Nainggolan famously retired from the internationals after failing to make it to the World Cup squad of Belgium. The 30-year-old, who tallied six goals and six assists in all competitions last campaign, was a crucial member of the Roma side that reached the 2017-18 Champions League semi-final.
Familiar names like Joel Robles, Daniel Didavi and Arthur Melo are also on the move. Robles, whose contract with Everton expired after the 2017-18 campaign, inked a four-year deal with La Liga club Real Betis.
Didavi, on the other hand, returned to his former club Stuttgart after two years with Wolfsburg, while Arthur completed his transfer to Barcelona.
Moreover, while not a transfer, Kylian Mbappe is now fully under contract at PSG as his loan expires. PSG triggered the French international’s permanent transfer from Monaco last February and it kicked off last July 1.
The Parisiens are obligated to pay Monaco €180 million for Monaco, but that fee seems to be a bargain now considering how the 19-year-old is playing in the World Cup. In case anyone has forgotten, Mbappe scored twice to send Argentina packing in the quarterfinals.
Who’s Next?
Well, is there any other player worth discussing here than Ronaldo?
After failing to lead Portugal to World Cup immortality, the 33-year-old still managed to grab headlines as speculations emerged that he’s looking for a way out of Real Madrid.
According to various news outlets, Juventus are close to completing a €100 million move for the world’s most popular footballer, with Ronaldo said to have agreed to personal terms. There are also speculations that his deal is four years worth €30 million per season.
In fact, the deal was so close that there is news Manchester United could no longer hijack the deal despite showing interest in bringing the striker back to Old Trafford.
Adding fuel to the speculations of Ronaldo’s possible transfer was a recent video content that Juve mistakenly published on Weibo. In the video, the Bianconeri hinted that a new player would be wearing the number 7 for them next season.
It remains to be seen whether Ronaldo’s Juventus transfer is a bluff or not. But if it’s true, it could lead to a transfer frenzy in Europe.
Former #RealMadrid president Ramon Calderon claims that Cristiano Ronaldo would leave a gap impossible to fill when the star departs from Bernabeu. pic.twitter.com/5qZRHV5Lzm
— SBOBET (@SBOBET) July 8, 2018
Other players to watch out for this summer are Sadio Mane, Willian, N’Golo Kante and Michy Batshuayi.
Liverpool’s Mane has reportedly piqued the interest of Real Madrid, though the Reds have made it clear they have no intention of selling the Senegalese international.
Brazil midfielder Willian has been linked with Barcelona, while Kante is rumoured to be PSG’s top priority.
Sevilla, on the other hand, have their eyes on Batshuayi and could sway the former Leicester man away given Chelsea’s chaotic situation and managerial uncertainty.
Winners and Losers
If Ronaldo’s Juve change pushes through, La Liga could be left with a gaping hole. His rivalry with Lionel Messi has added another chapter to the Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry, and his departure could change things and shift the balance of power to Barca alone.
The Catalans would be the clear winners in that regard, but La Liga and Real Madrid would lose a marketable star.
Juventus saw an increase in their stocks after Ronaldo’s transfer rumours broke out. Imagine how much it will rise if the deal comes through?
Serie A betting odds are also expected to swing back to Juve with the deal.
Players like Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala could ask to change teams or be sold with Ronaldo’s arrival, and there will undoubtedly be a bidding war if that happens.
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