Former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri wanted to sell star man Cristiano Ronaldo before his departure, claims Italian outlet La Repubblica.
Ronaldo came to Juventus from Real Madrid for a whopping €100 million in 2018 following a third Champions League title in a row.
It was hoped that the Portuguese forward could be the man to propel the Old Lady to European glory, having not lifted the trophy since 1996.
Since his move to Turin, the 36-year-old has scored 97 goals in 126 appearances, helping his side to two Serie A titles.
However, while Ronaldo has shone, Juventus have begun to go downhill. They are on course to miss out on the league title for the first time in a decade, have not won the Coppa Italia in the previous two seasons, and have suffered early Champions League exits at the hands of Ajax, Lyon and Porto.
There is a common belief that the signing of the former Manchester United man was a mistake, given his age and perceived astronomical wages.
This is seemingly a belief shared by former manager Massimiliano Allegri, who reportedly told club chief Andrea Agnelli to sell the forward before his departure in 2019 (La Repubblica, via the Daily Mail).
Allegri enjoyed five highly successful seasons at the Allianz Stadium. He won five straight Serie A titles, four Coppa Italias and reached the final of the Champions League on two occasions.
The Italian worked with Ronaldo for one season in 2018/19, winning the league but crashing out in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Coppa Italia.
La Repubblica claims that Allegri spoke to Agnelli about the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in their final meeting. He felt like the forward was blocking the opportunities of the club’s young players. Agnelli disagreed, and Allegri subsequently departed.
Ronaldo has one year remaining on his contract at Juventus, and it is unclear whether he will stay beyond his current deal. He has been linked with a move back to both Man Utd and Real Madrid.
Read also: Juventus’ €100m Cristiano Ronaldo gamble has failed – it’s time to cash in.
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