LAST UPDATE | 4 Jul 2019
GIANLUIGI BUFFON IS a Juventus player once more, with the legendary goalkeeper having completed a return to Turin on a one-year contract.
He is back with the Bianconeri after a solitary season in France with Ligue 1 title holders Paris Saint-Germain.
An emotional farewell had been bid to Juve and an adoring fan base at the end of the 2017-18 campaign Buffon, with no fresh terms agreed at the Allianz Stadium, walked away from the Serie A champions after 17 memorable years.
Just 12 months later, he is back. An iconic figure is now 41 years of age, but there is no desire on his part to hang up his gloves just yet.
Juve are happy to buy into his vast experience and strong ties to the club once more.
Sources close to the deal suggest that Buffon has committed to a contract worth a basic €1.5 million plus bonuses.
He has been returned to familiar surroundings to fill back-up duties behind Wojciech Szczesny. That represents a role reversal for a man who departed a year ago as the undisputed number one.
Buffon is, however, approaching the end of a glittering playing career and accepts that he must now adopt a supporting post.
He has no qualms with that, having talked up the qualities of Szczesny as his successor when departing Turin.
A spell with PSG did not play out as the former Parma custodian had hoped, with just 25 appearances taken in across all competitions.
OFFICIAL| @gianluigibuffon is back in Bianconero! ⚫⚪
— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen) July 4, 2019
Welcome home, Gigi! ❤️
➡️https://t.co/He2dq1mZbn #WelcomeBackGigi #LiveAhead pic.twitter.com/zIzTOMIvM6
Buffon did, however, help the French giants to title glory, meaning that major honours have been collected with every side he has represented.
That includes the Italian national side, with a man who has 176 caps to his name having tasted World Cup glory back in 2006.
He will be hoping that there are more entries on a distinguished CV to come in 2019-20. Buffon’s previous spell with Juve saw him collect nine Serie A titles and four Coppas Italia.
The Champions League crown has proved elusive, but a Juve side led by the enigmatic talents of Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping to bring their long wait for European success to a close next term.
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One of the best goal keepers of all time
No place like home..
Juve killing it in the free transfer market
@Dave O Keeffe: They’ve it down to a fine art. Khedira, Can and Rabiot in recent years off the top of my head, who’d all have gone for mega bucks. I’ve probably forgotten some serious deals there too.
@Ró: Ramsey this year
@Ró: Llorente, Coman and Dani Alves and those that @Ró mentioned as well. If you go back a few more years to 2011/2012 they also got Pogba and Pirlo on free transfers too.
Must be getting a role within the club once year contract is up
@Johnny O’Hooligan: fitting alloys on fiat 500′s
Possibly my favourite player of this generation. I would love to see him win a champions league before he hangs his boots up.