Juventus Manager Allegri: Cristiano Ronaldo 'Told Me He's Staying' Despite Transfer Rumors

On the eve of Juventus's season opener, manager Massimiliano Allegri insisted that star forward Cristiano Ronaldo will remain at the club this summer despite rumors linking him with a summer transfer. 

"He's told me that he's staying at Juventus, so we can close this issue," Allegri said in his pre-match press conference on Saturday. "... Ronaldo has always trained well and has always been available. I've read the rumors in the newspapers but he has never expressed his desire to leave Juventus."

On Tuesday, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, with whom Ronaldo won two straight Ballon d'Or awards at Real in 2014 and 2015, shut down reports in Spain claiming the Spanish giants were set to make a surprise return move for Ronaldo.

Ronaldo later posted scathing comments on Instagram repudiating the reports and the media's treatment of him during the summer transfer window, which ends Aug. 31.  

"More than the disrespect for me as a man and as a player, the frivolous way that my future is covered in the media is disrespectful to all the clubs involved in these rumours, as well as to their players and staff," Ronaldo wrote on Instagram. 

"... I'm breaking my silence now to say that I can't allow people to keep playing around with my name. I remain focused on my career and in my work, committed and prepared for all the challenges that I have to face."

The 36-year-old Portuguese star left Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018 in a €100 million transfer and is the two-time reigning Serie A Footballer of the Year. Ronaldo led Serie A in scoring last year with 29 goals in 33 appearances.

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 However, Juventus has not made it past the Champions League quarterfinals in Ronaldo's three seasons at the club and saw its streak of nine straight Serie A titles broken last season by Inter Milan. 

With Allegri back at the helm after a two-year break, the Bianconeri will face Udinese to kick off its Serie A season on Sunday. Juventus won five consecutive Serie A titles under Allegri from 2014 to 2019, including Ronaldo's first season at the club. 

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