The news that soccer superstar Christiano Ronaldo has left Real Madrid to join Juventus in Turin, Italy sent shockwaves through the sports hemisphere. It also alerted luxury property agents in his new home city that the real estate deal of the year could be on the cards. Ronaldo’s move comes with $100 million price tag and a weekly paycheck of $500,000.
Rumors are already circulating that the star has already picked a residence. The Italian press have shared pictures of a currently vacant three floor mansion, which has eight bedrooms and an indoor pool. People familiar with Ronaldo’s current and soon to be former home outside Madrid, might be shocked at his potential new Turin HQ. It’s old! Of course, that’s par for the course with a historic city where luxury real estate consists of centuries old mansions and villas. The modern, sparkling homes that elite soccer stars around the world usually prefer aren’t featured in Turin’s luxury listings.
If the mansion does turn out to be CR7’s home of choice it will have to undergo some serious updates and furnishing. The old, refinished parquet floors will probably be covered with luxurious rugs. The white walls need to be given a lick of a more contemporary hue. Ditto for the lights. Ronaldo, as many know, is a fitness fanatic and his Madrid home has a top-notch gym and indoor and outdoor pools as well as an outdoor soccer field. How he’ll replicate that in his new place remains to be seen.
However, Ronaldo’s interest in the property is understandable considering who its past occupants were. His former boss at Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane was a former inhabitant as was Italian World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro.
The mansion, located in the foothills of Turin, may only be a temporary home for the Portuguese icon as it was recently offered for an unbelievable $50,000 a day to rent according to The Sun newspaper. Even on Ronaldo’s staggering $500,000 a week, that wouldn’t make much sense as a long-term rental. It would be far most cost-effective to buy a home.
Many have posed the question as to why Juventus would spend so much money for a player, albeit a brilliant one, who is soon to be 34, and in the twilight years of his playing career. The reasoning, it appears, may be as much for what Ronaldo can bring to Juventus’ off the field as on.
Juve is owned by Fiat motor owners, the Agnelli family, through Exor, the investment holding company, which links club and car. Fiat workers planned a strike, brandishing anti-Ronaldo posters over the massive investment in the player, which could, they argued, be reinvested in the company. In the past Fiat and luxury sports car, Ferrari were business partners and Ronaldo is according to the BBC, set to be a global representative of Ferrari.
Obviously Ronaldo’s Juventus shirt sales will go through the roof but that is just the start of a cavalcade of money spinning tie ins.
“The marketing leverage that Juventus will be able to create will be significant,” Rob Wilson, of Sheffield Hallam University told the BBC. “Added to that the likelihood that he will strengthen the team, it seems plausible that they will be more successful domestically and qualify routinely for the Champions League. That means more sponsors, more TV money and more prize money.”
But first Ronaldo has to move into his new home.
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