AC Milan, Inter Milan and Chelsea Race For Gianluigi Buffon
This season my be the last season for Gianluigi Buffon to play at Juventus. Italian sports press reported Tuesday that the world’s top goalkeeper suggested he may say goodbye to Juventus at the end of the season. AC Milan chairman Silvio Berlusconi quickly took Buffon’s hint.
“I have great respect for Buffon both as a man and a player,” the former premier said after a friendly between Milan and Juventus at the weekend. “If he were to leave Juventus, Milan would certainly be among the clubs trying to buy him.”
But cross-town rivals Inter Milan will also be in the bidding. Italian sports press said that Inter Chairman Massimo Moratti is willing to pay 20-25 million euros and give Juve Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar and Argentine defender Walter Samuel to have Buffon.
Rich London club Chelsea, whose first-choice keeper Petr Cech is still recovering from a nasty head injury, are leading the way. English Premiership rivals Manchester United and Arsenal are thought to be keeping a careful eye on the situation too, the reports said.
This could be a dilemma for Juventus. they want to hang on to Buffon to show they mean business when they return to Serie A. On the other, his sale would bring in money needed to buy a number of top players.
Juventus is now lying third in Serie B, and not strong enough to compete with the likes of Inter, Milan and AS Roma if they back to Serie A next season. Juve’s other top stars, captain Alessandro Del Piero, Mauro Camoranesi, Pavel Nedved and David Trezeguet, are also pressing the club’s management to invest on the transfer market.
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