Italian champions Juventus FC signs Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid announced on Tuesday the departure of the global star Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus Turin.

“Real Madrid announces that, in accordance with the will and request expressed by the player Cristiano Ronaldo, the club has given its consent to his transfer to Juventus,” read part of the club statement.

‘Please understand me’

Ronaldo also confirmed the move, saying the years spent at Real Madrid ‘were probably the happiest of my life’.

The Portuguese star also asked the Madrid faithful to ‘understand him’.

“I thought a lot” and “I think the time has come to open a new stage in my life and that’s why I asked the club to accept my transfer,” CR7 said in a letter published by the club.

Real Madrid thanks Ronaldo

In its statement, Real Madrid said they wanted to “thank a player who has shown that he is the best in the world and who has marked one of the most brilliant periods in the history of our club and world football”.

Real has not given any details on the financial terms of this transfer.

According to the Spanish dailies Marca and El Mundo, its amount would amount to 105 million euros ($123m), while the four-year contract from CR7 to Juve would be paid 30 million euros per season ($35m) . That is more than the 23.6 million euros ($27.7m) he receives annually from Real according to the press, a remuneration he considered too low.