Gianluigi Buffon Returns To Parma, 26 Years After Making His Debut For The Club

But the veteran was convinced by Parma's ambitious project as they try and achieve promotion to Serie A.

Last month, Buffon said he would opt for the "most stimulating and crazy" transfer proposal after it emerged that Benfica were interested in his signature, alongside Olympiakos and Sevilla.

Benfica even tried to convince the Italian by writing an open letter.

The letter read: "Dear Gigi, We heard that you are looking for a new challenge and receptive to listening to a 'crazy and stimulating' proposal.

"Therefore, we decided to present you with something irresistible: how about moving to Lisbon and helping us to quickly return to our place in Portuguese football, the I Liga?

It continued, saying: "Our friendship does not come from today. You have known us since at least 2004, the year when with the Italian team you trained daily at Estádio do Restelo, our home and the most beautiful of the sports venues.

"We are sure that you have not forgotten it - how could you? - as well as the incredible view that our sports complex has over the Tagus River. Because you are a man of football and a citizen of the world, you probably knew us before."

It didn't work, however, and Buffon is now all set to join up with Parma in one of football's most romantic tales.

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