CR7 leaves for Juve

Superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has left Real Madrid for Juventus, the Spanish club confirmed yesterday.

"Real Madrid CF communicates that, in response to the will and request expressed by the player Cristiano Ronaldo, he has agreed to transfer to Juventus FC," a statement on the club's website read.

The transfer fee was not disclosed but media said Ronaldo signed a four-year deal and cost Juventus 105 million euros.

Alongside the statement there was also a letter from Ronaldo which read: "These years in Real Madrid, and in this city of Madrid, have been possibly the happiest of my life. I only have feelings of enormous gratitude for this club, for this hobby and for this city. I can only thank all of them for the love and affection I have received."

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who joined Real from Manchester United in 2008 for a then world record 80 million pounds, is the Spanish club's all-time top scorer with 451 goals in all competitions and won two La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies with them.

Ronaldo continued in his 'letter' to fans that he believed he needed to begin a new chapter in his career and that it was he who requested the transfer away. The club also confirmed in its statement that Ronaldo was the one who had sought to leave the club, although his motivations are still unclear.

The signing of the latest Ballon d'Or winner and top scorer in the Champions League for the last six seasons represents a major coup for Juve, who have had a stranglehold on the Italian title since 2012 but have not won Europe's top prize since 1996.

The signing also strikes a blow for the profile of Serie A against La Liga, which has now lost two of its three most famous players in the last year after Paris St Germain signed Neymar from Barcelona last August.