Buffon To Join Juve In �33m Deal
Wednesday 4th July 2001
Juventus have agreed to pay Parma �33 million for Italy international Gianluigi Buffon, a world record for a goalkeeper. Internazionale star Sebastien Frey will go to Parma as Buffon's replacement, paving the way for Fiorentina No 1 Francesco Toldo to move to the San Siro.
Although Buffon is yet to sign a contract, he is thought to have agreed a five-year deal worth �6 million.
"I want to take this occasion to thank the Tanzi family (Parma's owners) for all of the years I have spent with them and for allowing me to join Juventus," Buffon said. "Juventus are a big team and I'm sure we are going to win lots of trophies. I am very, very happy."
A Juventus statement simply read: "Juventus can announce an agreement with Parma for the transfer of Gianluigi Buffon."
Midfielder Jonathan Bachini, who has just come back from a loan spell at Brescia, will move to Parma as part of the deal.
The transfer smashes the previous record fee for a goalkeeper, almost trebling the �10.5 million Internazionale paid Juventus for Angelo Peruzzi in June 1999.
Buffon's arrival at Juve leaves a question mark over the future of Holland international Edwin van der Sar, who has been linked with moves to Feyenoord, Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal.
Considered in Italy to be the best goalkeeper in the world, Buffon has been Parma's first-choice goalkeeper since he was 18. He made his debut as a 17-year-old, ousting Luca Bucci.
He is likely to be Italy's No 1 for years to come, continuing a great legacy which goes back to Dino Zoff.
Buffon, 23, already has a friendly rivalry with Fiorentina goalkeeper Toldo, Italy's other outstanding young custodian, who Parma attempted to sign on Friday.
Parma had agreed terms with Fiorentina, only for the player to refuse the move, forcing Parma to turn to Frey instead. Toldo now looks set to move to Inter, where he will be Frey's replacement.
Frey joined Inter from Cannes in 1998 but was sent to Verona on loan after Inter acquired Peruzzi to replace Gianluca Pagliuca.
The Frenchman was one of the shining lights of a disappointing 2000-01 season for Inter, but when Champions' League qualification looked unlikely, he threatened to leave the club with Lazio, Juventus and Arsenal all said to be interested.
