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Football

12th Jul 2018

Juan Cuadrado hands over his number seven shirt to Cristiano Ronaldo

Simon Lloyd

Cristiano Ronaldo is off to Juventus. You might have heard.

After a nine year stint with Real Madrid, Ronaldo has signed a four-year deal with the Italian champions and is set to be unveiled on Monday.

It’s already been confirmed that the 33-year-old will wear the seven shirt in Turin, the same number he’s worn for most of his career since joining Manchester United in 2003.

He’ll inherit the seven shirt from Juan Cuadrado, who’d been given the number two years ago when his move from Chelsea was made permanent.

Although some might have thought having to give up his squad number for Ronaldo might have put the Colombian winger’s nose out of joint, a post on the 30-year-old’s Instagram reveals that’s far from the case.

‘It is more blessed to give than to receive blessings,’ the post reads, making clear that he’d given up the number for Ronaldo and had no issue in doing so.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlGYvuLF_sA/?utm_source=ig_embed

Cuadrado wore the number 16 shirt during his first season with Juve, spent on loan from Chelsea. He is expected to return to this number ahead of the 2018/19 season.

Ahead of Ronaldo’s unveiling, it’s emerged that United passed up the opportunity to re-sign their former player. Paris Saint-Germain are also thought to have rejected an offer to take him to the French capital.