This has to be one of the most shocking moves of the summer transfer window. Italy’s World Cup winning captain and Juventus star defender Fabio Cannavaro has signed a 2 year deal with Dubai based club Al Ahli.
Cannavaro reached the pinnacle of his career in 2006 when he led his nation Italy to World Cup glory after beating France 5-3 in a penalty shootout. His exploits in that event led him to be named both FIFA and European player of the year.
However, an embarrassing match fixing scandal that saw his club Juventus get demoted to the Serie B opened the door for him to move to Spanish Giants Real Madrid. I can go on with Canna’s profile but I’d rather not. If you are interested you can check out on Wikipedia.
The main reason Cannavaro is moving to Dubai is because Juventus have refused to extend his contract which expired at the end of the season. To be honest Cannavaro has not been the same ever since he returned to the Serie A and a move away from Turin might be the best option however, moving to Dubai is simply unimaginable.
“My contract with Al-Ahli realises my dream of living in Dubai and finishing my career playing for one of its clubs,”
Yeah right, Cannavaro should not give us the famous ‘one of my dreams’ reason. At 36, he knows all to well that his playing days are numbered and that Al Ahli are doing him huge favour in signing him.
It certainly is one of the biggest deals for Al Ahli but i am definitely sure it was not Cannavaro’s dream to end his career in a foreign nation. That said, i do not blame him for moving. If Juventus do not want to renew or offer Canna a new deal, then he better leave.
Frankly, i do not see Juventus posing a significant challenge for the scudetto next season. Cannavaro’s move has opened the possibility of team mate and friend Del Piero joining him in the oil rich city.
Apparently Al Ahli are ready to offer Del Piero a three year deal worth 2 million Euros per season plus a host of other incentives. That should greatly motivate the aging star. It now remains to be seen how Juventus will prepare for the new season.
Photo credit: from cg-88
