Zidane gets new contract with Juventus

Juventus have agreed a contract extension with French star Zinedine Zidane.

The midfielder now has a deal with the Turin giants until 2005 and ends a summer of rumour and speculation.

Both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona tried to sign Zidane this summer with a £55 million package on offer for the Frenchman. Both deals failed to make progress after meetings were leaked to the French press. The Spanish clubs were reluctant to agree on Internet rights deals with the player and the moves died at an early stage.

Zidane was linked with a move to Real at the start of 1999 when Italian press reports claimed his wife was unhappy in Turin and wanted a warmer climate.

Juventus moved quickly to stem these reports of unrest and Zidane used his first press conference back at the club this summer after Euro 2000 to says he wanted to win the Italian title again with Juve.

The 1998 World Player of the Year revealed his new contract in Italy on the Juventus website today. Juve play Hamburg SV in the Champions League on Wednesday night and start their new Serie A season on October 1st.