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Portugal U21 centre-back Tiago Djalo has dismissed rumors claiming Cristiano Ronaldo influenced his decision to join Serie A giants Juventus in the January transfer window.
Djalo briefly represented the Sporting CP B team and AC Milan before making a name for himself at Ligue 1 outfit Lille between 2019 and 2024. The 23-year-old made 102 appearances for the French club, helping Lille win two trophies, including the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title.
His feats caught the attention of Juventus this month. Subsequently, Djalo became the Old Lady's first signing in this window on January 22, for a reported transfer fee of €3.6 million, penning a deal until June 2026.
Many rumors began circulating that Djalo took advice from Cristiano Ronaldo before joining Juventus. However, he denied this, saying (via Gazzetta dello Sport):
“I didn’t speak to him, as soon as I heard that Juve wanted me, that was the important thing for me. I didn’t need his opinion, I’m happy to have signed with Juventus.”
Djalo suffered a serious ACL injury last March and remains sidelined. Hence, his debut is expected to be delayed for the foreseeable future.
How did Cristiano Ronaldo fare at Juventus?
Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo ended his triumphant nine-year tenure at Real Madrid to join Juventus in the summer of 2018. He signed a four-year deal with the Old Lady for a reported bid of €100 million - the highest-ever fee paid by an Italian club.
Let's take a look at the stats to see how Ronaldo fared at Juventus:
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner enjoyed a successful three-year stint at the club, netting 101 goals and registering 22 assists in 134 appearances across all competitions. He won five trophies for the club, including two Serie A titles. In addition, Ronaldo was also crowned with the Capocannoniere award for scoring the most Serie A goals in the 2020-21 campaign (29).
Cristiano Ronaldo opted to leave Juventus in the summer of 2021, reportedly telling Massimiliano Allegri that he had no intentions of playing for the club anymore. This led to his return to Manchester United, where he penned a two-year deal for a reported fee of £12.85 million.
