Opinion: Gianluigi Buffon moving to Paris Saint-Germain is bizarre
Gianluigi Buffon secured a one-year deal at French champions PSG, ending a 17-year stay at Juventus.
He won seven successive Scudettos in that time – a stint continued last term – however exited his final Champions League with Juve in controversial fashion.
Buffon rejected an off-field role at Juventus to extend his lengthy career, and will most likely spend a season in the French capital before retiring. Brazilian goalkeeper Alphonse Areola represents his competition.
At 40 years old, Buffon is one of only three Italy players from the 2006 World Cup-winning squad still active. His legacy and respected years were forged in Turin, and the move to PSG seems a peculiar one from both parties.
PSG’s short-term outlook underlined
After sacking now-Arsenal manager Unai Emery at the end of last term, PSG are set to begin a new era under former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel.
Champions League success is understandably the main priority, however the Qatari-owned club are still stuck in a mindset that is going to restrict growth.
Barcelona’s famous La Masia youth academy has a fruitful production line – including Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez – while other European juggernauts Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are keen to bring new players through their ranks.
PSG are more reluctant to focus on youth, and instead splash money on short-term buys for a quick fix of domestic trophies.
Though Buffon was a free transfer, it yet again exemplifies their unwillingness to install trust in fledgling players and simply entice football’s biggest names to form a team that has, so far, been unable to produce on the most important stage.
Gianluigi Buffon’s transfer smacks of narrow-mindedness, where belief lacks and that mantra won’t aid PSG in becoming a marquee European name.
He will stay for one or two seasons, and the Parisians will need to quickly find a replacement. Alphonse Areola might be short on game time by that point, meaning they will probably fork out a cosmic amount of cash to bring another of the world’s stars to France.
The hire-and-replace strategy the big-money club have adopted is unfortunate, and signing Buffon has only highlighted the shameful facts.
Buffon’s chief memories are in Italy
In ten, perhaps twenty, years’ time, nobody will remember Gianluigi Buffon’s short stay at PSG.
He is a Juventus player. He created his fame and legacy in Turin, garnering his esteemed status by becoming one of the planet’s best goalkeepers.
His craving to continue a career seemingly never-ending is admirable, however he should have finished where he started. Buffon’s early years at Parma, culminating in 2002, are hardly remembered.
Like Iniesta and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, he is a figure who is viewed to have spent his whole career at one single club.
A farewell to both Juventus and football, things that looked to be hand-in-hand for Buffon, would have been apt. Instead he has prolonged a career probably best left alone.
Next: Neymar needs to stop barking orders at PSG
Whatever he does in PSG this season, it will never be compared to his memories in Juventus. It goes without saying, hence why he should have brought his time to a close at the end of last term.