Gianluigi Buffon has just extended his contract with Parma and his agent reveals the goalkeeper ‘could keep playing until he’s 50’ after turning down Juventus and Barcelona moves.
The shot-stopper turned 44 in January and was expected to hang up his gloves after returning to the Stadio Tardini over the summer.
However, having impressed in Serie B including a couple of penalty saves, SuperGigi has instead signed a new deal holding him to Parma until June 2024.
“It was the club that started the talks for a renewal, as Gigi is 44 years old, but seems to be a decade younger,” agent Silvano Martina told Radio Sportiva.
“He deserved to play regularly even before this, but it’s only natural that most clubs focus on younger goalkeepers and build for the future.
“If he’s in good shape, then Buffon could keep playing until he’s 50, but obviously you can’t make too many plans or predictions at this age.
“The important thing is that he still has enthusiasm, humility and passion, which above all helps the younger players around him.
“If Gigi wants to quit earlier than 2024, then he will.”
Buffon’s return to Parma was seen as nostalgia for where his career first began, but there was certainly no shortage of prestigious alternatives for the goalkeeper in the summer of 2021.
“He could’ve stayed at Juventus, while Barcelona wanted him too, but it would’ve been a similar situation in both cases. What Gigi really wanted was to play regularly,” added the agent.
Buffon has played 23 Serie B games for Parma this season, keeping eight clean sheets and conceding 23 goals.
The Ducali sit in 13th place, but are not out of the race for promotion yet.
— Alfredo Pedullà (@AlfredoPedulla) March 1, 2022
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