Thuram chooses Juventus
( 2001-06-19 09:44 ) (7 )

French international defender Lilian Thuram has left Parma and signed for Juventus, the Turin club said on Monday.

Thuram has signed a five-year deal with the Serie A club, Juventus' website said, without giving details of the transfer fee.

Parma had earlier said they had reached agreement with both Juventus and Lazio and that the final choice was up to the player.

A 1998 World Cup and 2000 European championship winner with France, Thuram has long been linked with a move away from Parma, where he has spent the past five seasons.

Thuram said he was sure he had made the right decision.

"I spoke with some team mates and with other people and I had a few questions to ask. But I was compelled to join Juve -- they are the best club there is," Thuram said.

Juventus have had the best defensive record in Serie A for the past two seasons and Thuram said he hoped for another tight season at the back.

"I hope we will continue to be the hardest defence to beat, otherwise they will say it is because of me. But joking apart, I am glad to be here.

"I have enjoyed the last five years but I wanted to join a stronger club. The history of football shows that it is generally the same big clubs at the top.

"I chose Juve because I wanted to satisfy my desire to win," said the 29-year-old.

Thuram will join fellow French internationals Zinedine Zidane and David Trezeguet in Turin, creating a Gallic spine to the team.

"I have had the fortune to play with Zidane at national team level and he is a great player and a man of great humility. In Italy, people are not yet fully aware of Trezeguet's real strength -- he is a top class striker," added Thuram.

Juventus also said they will present new coach Marcello Lippi at a news conference on Wednesday after he was named as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement on Sunday.