:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43955320/458051112.0.jpg)
We've talked about contract extensions quite a bit around here in recent months. Paul Pogba got his done last month, signing a deal through 2019 and get a nice little raise in the process. Many other names have been thrown out there, but some players are obviously closer than others to signing new deals.
On Monday, this is what Juventus director general Beppe Marotta had to say about legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon — who has been one of those expected to sign a new deal — getting a contract extension done:
"Buffon's contract extension is just a formality. As for Lichtsteiner, we are talking to his representatives because we have some guidelines we intend to respect."
(Source: Football Italia)
Forget the Stephan Lichtsteiner part for a second because we're concentrating on Buffon. (Although there's plenty to say about a Lichtsteiner extension.) Twenty-four hours later, this is what Buffon's agent, Silvano Martina, had to say about Buffon signing an extension:
"It is a formality, like Marotta said. Now, there's such a relationship between Gigi and the club that he's no longer just a player for them. They're also making plans for the future. His objective is to appear at a sixth World Cup, and he'll become the only player in history to have done so. A player needs to set themselves goals. When I played, there was the great Dino Zoff, who was at [Buffon's] age, and physically I see Buffon much stronger than Zoff. It goes without saying that with the contracts he signed in previous years, a handshake was enough between him and the President."
(Source: Football Italia)
And there you have confirmation, ladies and gentlemen. Feels good, man, feels good.
The way Buffon is playing these days, if Juventus were to hand him a contract as long as the one Pogba just signed, I would be totally okay with it. Like Martina went on to say in the above interview, Buffon is playing like the best in the world. At the age of 36 — and just a few months away from his 37th birthday in January — San Gigi is still really, really, really good. He's not making 10 saves a game simply because he's not required to these days, but every save he does make is crucial and usually keeps Juventus in the lead.
This, of course, is a good thing and will never be otherwise. So let's celebrate it. Buffon is going to be signing a new deal sooner rather than later, it's just, like the two mean above said, a formality.
