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Topics: Football, Gianluigi Buffon, Parma, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Italy
Marcus Chan
Topics: Football, Gianluigi Buffon, Parma, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Italy
Gianluigi Buffon is reportedly the latest star to be offered a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
Buffon is still going strong at the age of 45 as he currently plays for boyhood club Parma in Serie B.
The Italian suffered a hamstring injury during the 22/23 season but reclaimed his spot upon his return and made 17 appearances as Parma made the Serie B play-offs.
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Despite having one year left on his Parma contract, it has been reported that Buffon may have one final move left in his legendary career.
According to Italian news outlet Corriere dello Sport, Buffon has been offered a huge contract to move to the Saudi Professional League.
It has been claimed that an unnamed club have offered the 45-year-old a deal worth £25 million a year.
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Heading into his 28th season as a player, the World Cup winner is believed to be assessing his options.
There are reportedly three options available for Buffon ahead of the 23/24 season.
He could decide to retire from the sport and will bow out of the game as Italy’s most-capped player and one of the finest goalkeepers of his generation.
Or, he could choose to remain at Parma and will likely become Italian football’s oldest goalkeeper, overtaking Andrea Pierobon.
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Lastly, he may decide to move to the Middle East to become the second Italian player to play in the Saudi Professional League after Sebastian Giovinco, who played 57 matches for Al Hilal between 2019 and 2021.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo became the first big name to make a move to Saudi Arabia after he signed for Al Nassr in January.
Since then, Saudi Arabia have been splashing the cash in a bid to lure some of football’s biggest names to their country.
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The likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly have since joined the Saudi Professional League.
Whilst players like Buffon, Bernardo Silva, Roberto Firmino, David De Gea and Son Heung-min have been linked with big-money moves.