Ronaldo, Lukaku, Mourinho and Other Beneficiaries of Growth Decree Set to Be Scrapped in Italy

• The Italian government are set to scrap the Growth Decree from January 2024
• This action poses a significant financial strain for Italian Serie A clubs
• It has helped the club sign top players they'd not have afforded

The Italian government will abandon Decreto Crescita – the Growth Decree Law from January 2024 despite an outcry from Serie A clubs that will be seriously affected.

The law, which was voted on in 2019, is set to be scrapped, and it poses significant financial strain to clubs as the law has helped them attract top stars with better salary incentives.

Sports Brief looks at the top 5 players who have benefited from the law, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

Beneficiaries of Growth Decree

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Per Football Italia, Ronaldo benefited from the law when he joined Juventus from Real Madrid in 2018, allowing the Old Lady to afford his net €30 million per year salary. His return to Italy in 2022 with one of the Milan was prevented as he did not qualify after giving up his residence when he joined Manchester United in 2021.

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2. Romelu Lukaku

The big Belgian has benefited from the rule for three transfers. His move to Inter Milan from United in 2019, and his loan moves to Inter and AS Roma in 2022 and 2023 from Chelsea. If he is to return to Italy permanently in 2024, he would no longer be eligible even if the rule is not scrapped.

3. Paul Pogba

Pogba left Juventus to join United in 2016 and returned to Turin in 2022 at the expiration of his contract after six years at Old Trafford. He earned €7mil benefiting under the decree, even though the move has proved disastrous, and he could be suspended from football for doping.

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

The Swede superman returned to Italy in 2020 with AC Milan after eight years away from Italian football. Until his professional retirement in June, he was a beneficiary of the decree.

5. Angel Di Maria

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The Argentine winger spent a season at Juventus, joining when he left Paris Saint-Germain in 2022. He lasted only a season and left on acrimonious terms. He returned to his first European club, Benfica.

Jose Mourinho

Surprisingly, the Special One joined AS Roma in 2021 and signed a three-year contract. The Growth Decree allowed his presence at the club, and with his contract set to expire next summer and the club’s final situation, the decree scrapping could end his time in Rome.

What is Growth Decree?

Per Viola Nation, the law was implemented to give five-year tax breaks to skilled workers moving into the country or Italians returning home from abroad.

Article 5 of the law applies to football clubs, and it allows for top stars moving into the country for the first time or returning having not worked in the country for two years to pay tax on only 50% of their income and not 100%.

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Roma set to part with five players

Sports Brief also previously reported on Roma parting ways with five players at the end of the season as Mourinho’s future remains uncertain, with his contract also over at the end of the season.

The Italian club are under notable financial strain and some feel it would make no economic sense to keep players who are not performing on the pitch, with no loan player to be retained either.