Cristiano Ronaldo: Juventus to sign Real Madrid forward

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is set to join Juventus, becoming one of the four most expensive players of all time.

It is understood a deal worth £105m has been reached between the two clubs that will see the 33-yearold Portuguese end a nine-year stay at the Bernabeu.

Ronaldo won four Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles at Real.

"The time has come to open a new stage in my life, that's why I asked the club to accept transferring me," he said.

The top two world record transfer fees have been paid out by Paris St-Germain - the £200m they paid Barcelona for Brazil forward Neymar last August, and the fee of around £166m for France forward Kylian Mbappe in July after a successful season on loan with PSG.

Barcelona also paid Liverpool £142m for Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho in January. For the Serie A champions, the fee they will pay for Ronaldo is set to eclipse the £75.3m they paid for forward Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli.

'Real Madrid have conquered my heart' - Ronaldo's letter to fans

been possibly the happiest of my life.

I only have feelings of enormous gratitude for this club, for its fans and for this city. I can only thank all of them for the love and affection I have received.

However, I believe that the time has come to open a new stage in my life and that is why I have asked the club to accept transferring me. I feel that way and I ask everyone, and especially our fans, to please understand me.

They have been absolutely wonderful for nine years. They have been nine unique years. It has been an emotional time for me, full of consideration but also hard because Real Madrid is of the highest demands, but I know very well that I will never forget that I have enjoyed football here in a unique way. These years in Real Madrid, and in this city of Madrid, have