Gianluigi Buffon: Paris St-Germain complete signing of Juventus legend

Paris St-Germain have signed former Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon on a free transfer.

Buffon, 40, left Juventus at the end of last season, ending a 17-year stay at a club where he played 656 times.

The nine-time Serie A winner was rumoured to be offered an off-field role at Juve but has signed a one-year deal with the French champions with the option for a further 12 months.

"I know what dreams PSG and its fans have in their hearts," he said.

"I am going to bring all my energy, all my experience and all of my thirst to win to help my new club achieve all the great objectives it has set out for the future.

"For the first time in my career, I am leaving my country and only a project this ambitious could have encouraged me to make such a decision."

Buffon closed out his Juventus career with a seventh consecutive league title.

He will link up with new PSG head coach Thomas Tuchel at Parc des Princes and is likely to compete with Alphonse Areola for a starting place.

Can see them being hard to beat this season then,

They ll get no further than the 2nd round of the champions league

An absolute great.

Hugh Watt wrote:

An absolute great.

one of the greatest keepers ever

Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will leave Paris St-Germain when his contract expires at the end of the month.

The Italy legend, 41, joined on a free transfer in July 2018, making 25 appearances in all competitions for the club as they won the Ligue 1 title.

The nine-time Serie A winner previously played for Juventus, making 656 appearances in a 17-year stay in Turin.

"I leave happy to have enjoyed this experience which has undoubtedly helped me to grow," Buffon said.

"Today my adventure outside Italy comes to an end.

"Ernest Hemingway wrote that there are only two places in the world where people can live happily: at home and in Paris. Today onwards, this will also apply to me: Paris, in some way, will always remain my home... Allez Paris!"

Buffon, Italy's most capped player with 176 appearances, retired from the national team after they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Buffon won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 but has famously never managed to win the Champions League, losing three finals - in 2003 final to AC Milan, in 2014 to Barcelona and in 2017 to Real Madrid.

PSG reached the last 16 of last season's competition, where they were knocked out by Manchester United.

"I will never forget the pride that everyone at Paris St-Germain, both the club and the fans, felt when they saw Gianluigi Buffon wearing our jersey," said PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

"During his time at PSG he brought his phenomenal experience and his sense of professionalism not only to his team-mates but also to all areas of the club. We will miss his warm and open personality here at the club."

Great keeper, proper world class.