[Zed.D]

Berlusconi Rejected Chance To Sign Buffon

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon had a pre-contract deal to sign for Milan this summer but Rossoneri President Silvio Berlusconi pulled the plug on the deal.

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Buffon had agreed a four-year contract, worth €6m a season, but Berlusconi stopped the transfer from going through because it would have cost him €25m.

Instead the former Prime Minister of Italy wanted to spend this money on renewing the contract of Brazilian keeper Dida, and bringing in youngster Alexandre Pato and midfielder Emerson.

Milan fans will surely be dismayed by the news that Buffon could have signed for the club. So far this season Dida has made a number of high-profile mistakes, particularly during the week three draw against Siena, while 31-year-old Emerson looks a shadow of the once great player he was.

The Milan hierarchy have been criticised enormously for their transfer policy over the summer, with the failure to bring in a top-class striker and a decent back-up goalkeeper the main points of condemnation.

These latest reports that Berlusconi turned down the chance to sign the undisputed number-one goalkeeper in the world, will certainly not go down well with the supporters.

goal.com

[dst]

In fact, Buffon kept the Juve management and tifosi in the dark about his decision to continue with Juve, until we won the CL. When that happened, Berlusconi had to renew Dida's contract, not because it was cheaper, but because he helped his team win the cup!

That doesn't make sense... I agree with bigmacmtl completely on this!

[Rossoneri7]

Did you not get the hint when Buffon said "I want to pay CL football" knowing full well Juve won't have any this year?

Dida was the one who kept everyone in the dark with his shall I shant I attitude towards signing his extension. I don't now whether Galliani persuaded him to re-sign but if he did then it was the worst days work he has done (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

And yet again we shoot ourselves in the foot by extending old players contracts instead of letting them go.

Well, it was so obvious during those closing days of last season .. Buffon was completely undecided about his future. The press kept asking him and articles were published every other day about his future with Juve (and yes his reason was CL football, he had to have one to leave Juve anyways ..).

But as we have all come to know Milan, the management are faithful to those who do good things for the team and the club. Now whether it was Galliani/Berlusconi/Carlo/or Dida himself .. We can only speculate .. In the end, it comes down to this .. We won the CL, Dida stayed and Buffon signed on for Juve.

That doesn't make sense... I agree with bigmacmtl completely on this!

Which part doesn't make sense?