In the late 2000s, Manchester City, newly enriched by Sheikh Mansour’s takeover, was aggressively looking to establish itself as a European powerhouse. There is some fast online betting – 1xBet features all Manchester City matches too.
With ambitions of assembling a squad capable of competing with the best in the world, City targeted some of football’s biggest names. They also included legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
At the time, Buffon was regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in history. At 1xBet you can always make fast online betting on great goalkeepers from all over the world.
Having won the 2006 World Cup with Italy and enjoying a successful career at Juventus, he was a symbol of loyalty and consistency. However, in 2009, Manchester City made a serious attempt to lure him away from Turin, seeing him as the ideal leader to elevate the club’s project.
A huge transformation
City, under manager Mark Hughes, was in the process of transforming from a mid-table Premier League club into a title contender. The http://1xbet.ng/en/live website also has all Premier League matches too.
They had already made several high-profile signings, with 3 examples being:
- Carlos Tévez;
- Emmanuel Adebayor;
- and Robinho.
Buffon, however, was a different type of target. He would bring experience, leadership, and global recognition. If you want to wager on other amazing goalkeepers, at 1xBet you can do so today. Reports suggested that City were willing to break transfer records, offering Juventus a substantial fee and Buffon a lucrative contract.
Remaining loyal to his team
Despite City’s financial power and determination, Buffon ultimately rejected the move. His loyalty to Juventus was unwavering, and he remained committed to the club even during their struggles following the 2006 Calciopoli scandal. Buffon later admitted that he was flattered by City’s interest and acknowledged their rise as a major club, but he never seriously considered leaving Juventus. The platform 1xBet offers football live stream where you can also enjoy Juventus matches as well.
Looking back, City’s failure to sign Buffon did not slow their progress. They later secured Joe Hart as their No.1 goalkeeper and, in subsequent years, brought in Ederson, who played a key role in their modern dominance under Pep Guardiola. As for Buffon, he remained at Juventus for nearly 2 more decades, further cementing his legendary status before eventually retiring. The best platform that offers live football streams is 1xBet, where matches from Manchester City and other top clubs can always be enjoyed.