Cristiano Ronaldo's close friendship with Marcelo could help Juventus land the Real Madrid left-back
Juventus may be able to land Real Madrid left-back Marcelo with the help of Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Calciomercato.
The Brazilian defender has reportedly been told by Real Madrid that he can leave the club at the end of the season, and Juventus has emerged as one of his potential future destinations.
The report suggests that Juventus are looking to solve an age-old problem in the left-back position, and believe Marcelo could be the solution. It also claims that Juventus will use Cristiano Ronaldo to lure Marcelo to The Old Lady.
Ronaldo and Marcelo spent nine years together at Real Madrid developing a formidable partnership on the left side of the pitch for Los Blancos.
Ronaldo and Marcelo won 15 trophies including two La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey, and four UEFA Champions League titles during their time together in the Spanish capital.
Marcelo has been a fantastic servant to Real Madrid, spending twelve years at the club and amassing 363 La Liga appearances.
The 32-year-old has gone on to become one of the best left-backs in the world at Madrid, and is rated as one of the best defenders of his generation.
Marcelo heading closer to Real Madrid exit
However, Marcelo has been prone to occasional errors in recent years, and Real Madrid now believe its time to show the veteran defender the exit door.
Marcelo isn't getting any younger but remains a quality member of the Real Madrid team, which is why they decided to sell Sergio Reguillon to Tottenham.
Marcelo has lost his place in the Real Madrid starting XI, and they will be happy to get him off their wage bill after COVID-19 affected their income.
It will be interesting to see if Cristiano Ronaldo can convince his former team-mate to join him in Turin.
Real Madrid already have a readymade replacement for Marcelo in the form of Ferland Mendy. Zinedine Zidane is also reportedly considering triggering Sergio Reguillon's buy-back clause at the end of the season.
Real Madrid have also been linked with a move for Bayern Munich left-back David Alaba on a free transfer at the end of the season.
It seems unlikely that a deal will take place in January, as Real Madrid would be unwilling to let go off an experienced defender such as Marcelo midway through the season. But this deal looks like it could take place next summer.