Could a transatlantic switch be on the horizon for the Juve forward? David Beckham has only just unveiled a jazzy new crest for his MLS venture, the Club Internacional de Futbol Miami, but speculation has started over which headline-grabbing name the former England captain may look to recruit to raise the profile of the new team ahead of its debut season in 2020.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a move to South Florida by the Mail, who claim that the Portuguese forward “tops Beckham’s wishlist”.
The 33-year-old has only just moved to Italian football and Juventus and would have one year remaining on his contract in 2020. A move for a Latin star would fit neatly into the strategy of Beckham and his partners of exploiting the large Latin American population base in Miami and the wider area.
A move for the marketable polyglot would surely break the transfer record for the league, which stands at just $14m, which Bayern Munich shelled out for the Vancouver Whitecaps teenager Alphonso Davies this past summer, despite the fact that he’d already be 35 when that time comes around.
But the value he would offer to the fledgling, pink-shirted side can be seen clearly in the astonishing impact his arrival had on the Italian giants Juventus. The Turin side’s social media following shot up by 6.5m since he’s made the switch from Real Madrid, and their share price and - therefore total value of the club - has more than doubled.
They might have a bit of convincing to do, though, as the former Manchester United man has spoken with derision about high-grade players who leave Europe for leagues like MLS and the Chinese Super League in the past.
The potential commercial offerings that the slick new project in South Florida may offer, though, will surely grab his attention at the very least.