Gianluigi Buffon will not consider retirement just soon following reports that the legendary Italian goalkeeper has a number of clubs interested in signing him on a free transfer this summer.
Buffon would leave Juventus for a second time when his contract expires by the end of June and the old horse seems quite ready for a new challenge elsewhere.
The 43-year-old had revealed that he will jump at the “most stimulating and crazy” proposal and it’s emerged that Portuguese side Benfica are in the race for his signature alongside Sevilla and Olympiakos.
According to Sportsbible, Benfica have tried to convince the World Cup winner to move to Lisbon by writing an open letter to Buffon.
The letter reads: “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?
“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.”
Buffon made his professional debut aged 17 against AC Milan all the way back in 1995 and went on to win both the Coppa Italia and UEFA Cup with Parma before joining Juventus in a world-record deal for a goalkeeper in 2001.
He spent over a decade in his first spell in Turin before signing for PSG and returning in 2019 to serve as back up for Wojciech Szczesny.
The veteran goalkeeper has won 10 Serie A titles and four Coppa Italias with the Bianconeri in his two spells at the club.
