Is Cristiano Ronaldo still worthy as Juventus plan contract extension?

When Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Juventus, it appeared to be the dawning of a new era at the Allianz Arena.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner signed for the Old Lady in summer 2018 to prove his sheer domination in the Serie A. He was supposed to be the missing piece in the jigsaw that would help Juventus unlock the hardest achievement for the Italians: The Champions League.

Prior to his signing, Juve had reached the UEFA Champions League finals twice in last four years but returned home without glory. Unquestionably, the Bianconeri are the most tyrannizing force in Italy, winning eight consecutive Scudetto’s is proof of their unquestioned supremacy. Champions League was the only piece of missing Silverware in recent times and Ronaldo was signed to help Juve win it.

Sadly, Ronaldo’s first Champions League outing in the famous black and white stripes didn’t go as planned as the Old Lady lost to the youthful exuberance of Ajax in the quarter finals of the European competition. Juve won the Serie A last term but they would have won it even with a misfiring stout Gonzalo Higuain.

This season has been a further disappointment for Juventus as they look to be dethroned from the Serie A seat with meaty Inter Milan challenging for the league title. Cristiano hasn’t been decisive for Juve at all. His charm in Champions League seems to be fading as well, with the 34-year-old managing only two goals in six games, very poor returns as per his standards.

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It seems that Ronaldo’s magic is weakening. The Portuguese’s signing was more about the commercial prospects that accompany signing a player with his level of popularity. It opened up new markets to Juventus and quickly increased the club’s value, even if it didn’t actually make the squad perform any better.

It seems though that Bianconeri have made huge profits in the marketing sector due to Cristiano’s acquisition and plan to do the same for the coming years as they prepare for the 34-year-old’s contract extension.

According to Daily Mail, the Serie A champions are planning to extend Ronaldo’s contract till 2023, which would keep the Portuguese in Turin until he’s 38. The ex-Real Madrid man believes that he can still perform at the highest of levels and has plenty to offer to the Old Lady. After collecting Men’s best player of 2019 at Dubai Globe soccer awards, Cristiano sat down with is agent Jorge Mendes to discuss his future.

https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/1211618857972117505

Juventus sporting director Fabio Patrici too is keen on keeping the five-time UCL winner at the Allianz Stadium for a long time. The club hierarchy will offer the 34-year-old an extension and an improved deal which will see him pocket £30 million per season. Cristiano Ronaldo will put pen on paper at the end of the season, once Bianconeri can evaluate their evolution in terms of trophies.

In the dressing room, the former Manchester United man is a strong presence and often helps younger players calm their nerves. Cristiano Ronaldo can act as a motivational figure off the pitch but he really needs to gather his act on the pitch. If he’s to play until the age of 38 he needs to keep his doubters silent by performing brilliantly for Juventus and continue winning at a high level or else he’ll be undermining his own legacy.

Do you think Ronaldo should be offered a contract extension considering he has done very little in one and a half year at Juventus?