Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo is set to sign an 18 month contract with New York City FC by Thursday July 2, ending his 20-year stay in Italy.
Despite still having one year remaining on his contract with the Italian champions, the 36-year-old has been linked with a move away from the Bianconeri since the end of the European season and looks set to join Carlos Tevez as another high profile departure from the Turin club.
ESPN report that Pirlo will sign an 18 month contract with New York City FC by July 2, before joining up with his new teammates on July 21 ahead of his debut five days later against Orlando City at Yankee Stadium.
Having signed former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira on a free transfer earlier this summer, Bianconeri president Andrea Agnelli has given the green light on Pirlo’s departure after a successful four year spell with Juve.
With Pirlo set to join the likes of Frank Lampard and David Villa in New York, MLS commissioner Don Garber was admittedly excited about the possibility of the Italian legend joining the league.
“I don’t want to waste a lot of time talking about a player that is not certain to be here,” he stated to reporters.
“Clearly Pirlo is a world class player who just played in a Champions League final. He is a legend.”
New York currently sit in ninth place in the MLS Eastern Conference with 17 points from 16 matches in their inaugural season.
