Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon set for emotional return to former club - Reports

Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon has announced that he will be leaving the Italian giants for the second time in his career. The 43-year-old has proven over the last two seasons that he still has the skills and reflexes to perform at the top level and is not ready to call time on his playing career.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Buffon could be set for an emotional return to former club Parma. The Italian legend began his professional career with Parma in 1995 and spent six years with the club before joining Juventus in 2001.

Buffon spent his youth career with Parma before making his professional debut for the club at the age of 17. After six successful seasons with Parma, during which he developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Buffon joined Juventus for a then world-record transfer fee for a goalkeeper of €52 million.

He spent the next seventeen years of his career with Juventus, with whom he won nine Serie A titles, a Serie B title, six Coppa Italia's, and finished as runner up in the UEFA Champions League three times. He has made 656 appearances in all competitions for Juventus.

Buffon spent one season with French giants PSG before returning to Juventus in the summer of 2019. The 43-year-old has spent the last two seasons as deputy to Wojciech Szczesny at Juventus.

In the absence of Szczesny this season due to injury, Buffon put in a number of vintage performances for Juventus which has suggested that the veteran goalkeeper still has the required fitness and reflexes to play at the top level.

Reports have suggested Gianluigi Buffon is set to make an emotional return to boyhood club Parma this summer. Buffon will play in Serie B for the first time since playing for Juventus in the second division during the 2006-07 campaign.

Gigi Buffon is close to join Parma! He could come back to the club where he started his career 26 years ago. 🇮🇹 #BuffonTalks ongoing - Buffon received more than five proposals, one from Besiktas too but he’s really tempted to sign for Parma with an ambitious project. 🧤 #Parma pic.twitter.com/YyWU7I3ZE2

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 12, 2021

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Gianluigi Buffon's departure from Juventus could lead to the club pursuing Gianluigi Donnarumma

Bologna FC v Juventus - Serie A

Gianluigi Buffon's departure and the inconsistent form of Wojciech Szczesny in goal for Juventus could force the club to sign AC Milan star Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Gianluigi Buffon is close to rejoining boyhood club Parma, according to Sky Sport 🇮🇹He left Parma to join Juventus 20 years ago ♥ pic.twitter.com/9NYoqZMYj8

— Goal (@goal) June 12, 2021

Donnarumma has been tipped to be Buffon's long-term successor for the Italian national team and could be set to take on the same role at club level. Donnarumma's current contract with AC Milan is set to expire at the end of the month, making him a free agent this summer.