New York City FC have confirmed the signing of Italian maestro midfielder, Andrea Pirlo, from Italian champions Juventus.
Pirlo joins the MLS expansion side New York City FC after a successful season with Juventus that saw the Old Lady win the domestic double and reach the Champions League Final. This is the first time the 36-year-old has ever left his homeland to play for another team.
The veteran midfielder joins on a two-and-a-half-year deal after Juventus ended Pirlo’s contract a year early and Pirlo will officially join the team on the 21st of July, meaning he will not make his debut alongside Lampard in Sunday's league game against Toronto FC at Yankee Stadium.
Pirlo said in his first interview as an NYCFC player: "I have been wanting this experience for a long time and now that the opportunity materialized I wanted to take it. This is a club on the rise and shares my same hunger to achieve important results in the League. I am hoping to win."
Pirlo added: "I met with the coach, Jason Kreis, and he gave me a fantastic impression of the club. He has well defined ideas in mind, and I am sure we will get on well and create a good relationship to train well and try to win together."
Andrea Pirlo is one of the most experienced and decorated players in world football, winning six Serie A titles with AC Milan and Juventus, two Champions Leagues with Milan, and two Coppa Italias, one with each club. Pirlo has also been one of the best Italian players at the international level as well, winning the World Cup with Italy in 2006 after beating France on penalties, and the midfielder has made 115 appearances for the Azzuri. Pirlo’s first professional game for NYCFC will be against fellow MLS expansion side, Orlando City SC, on the 26th of July.