Report: Gianluigi Buffon in talks to return to Juventus

When Gianluigi Buffon last wore the No. 1 jersey at Juventus, it was supposed to be the end of a legendary career in Turin. He got the lap of honor, with plenty of tears shed before, during and after the GOAT announced that he was leaving the Italian champions in search of a new adventure.

Ah, how things change from one year to the next.

In a completely out-of-the-blue kind of report if there ever was one, Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio is reporting that Buffon and Juventus are in serious talks about the 41-year-old returning to the club this summer. Not as a director — although that could be something for down the road. No, this would be as the backup to Juventus’ current starting goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who is coming off arguably one of the best seasons of his career during his first year wearing the No. 1 jersey in Turin.

Hold me close. It’s getting dusty in here again.

Buffon announced earlier this month that he would not be extending his stay with Paris Saint-Germain past the end of June. Since then, he has been linked with a handful of clubs in Italy and around Europe — namely Porto as a replacement for Iker Casillas. There was always the feel-good story of Buffon maybe returning to the club he made his name, Parma, but those rumors have since disappeared in the days after his announcement about future with PSG.

But to hear of Buffon coming back to Juventus ... well, that just hasn’t even been something even the wildest transfer gossip folks have thrown out there. Yet here we are, with the greatest goalkeeper to ever play at Juventus now being linked with a return to the club he spent nearly two decades at for one final run before hanging up his gloves.

I guess the unpredictability of last summer is starting to show up once again now that it’s almost July and we’re ready for some time on the beach.