With Cristiano Ronaldo enjoying a fantastic start to life with Juventus, the Portuguese superstar’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has confirmed that the forward made it clear that he wanted to leave for the Italian giants as far back as January 2018.
The 33-year-old’s Real Madrid side knocked the Bianconeri out of the Champions League in April and in the first leg, Ronaldo receiving a standing ovation at the Juventus Stadium after an incredible goal, and it was thought this was the catalyst for the move.
“In January, Cristiano told me that he wanted to play at Juventus,” Mendes said at the gala for the Golden Boy, where he himself won the award for Best European Agent.
“At that moment in time, I did not think that a deal would be possible and I told him that it would be very difficult. But nothing is impossible.”
It was clear for a while that all was not well between the former Manchester United star and Florentino Perez, with Mendes making it clear that the process to find a new club for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner began before the end of last season.
“The first meeting with the board at Juventus took place in Madrid,” he continued. “Before the Real Madrid- Juventus match in the Champions League in April [the second leg of their tie].
“Then there was more contact over the telephone and, little-by-little, the deal became possible and these negotiations lasted two or three months.”
