Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo is reportedly joining New York City FC and is set to follow English midfielder Frank Lampard who inked with the club January and will start playing for them this July.
Pirlo still has one year remaining in his pact with Juventus but already expressed his desire to leave the club he helped to four Serie A titles and a Coppa Italia title last season.
Juve and Pirlo almost captured a treble last season but were denied by Barcelona in the Champions League Final earlier this month as Barca achieved its second treble in six years.
In his professional career which began in 1995, the 36-year-old flourished in his time with AC Milan and Juventus.
With AC Milan Pirlo won two Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia title, two Champions League titles and won the FIFA World Cup with Italy in 2007.
Pirlo has been linked to a move to NYC FC for some time now and the rumors intensified when the veteran midfielder was seen in a New York Yankees-Detroit Tigers game last Saturday.
According to Goal.com Sunday, a source said Pirlo will be introduced by NYC FC Friday but BBC Sports reported Tuesday that no agreement is reached yet.
If Pirlo signs with the MLS club, he will be joining Lampard and can make their debuts for NYC FC on July 12 against Toronto FC, BBC Sports added.
Daily News reported that Pirlo will have the same salary as Lampard and striker David Villa which will be around $5-$6 million anually if he signs with NYC FC.
Manchester City coach Patrick Vieira said Pirlo would be a huge acquisition for NYC FC.
Manchester City and NYC FC are sister clubs owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the Abu Dhabi United Group.
"If NYCFC manages to sign a player like Pirlo, it would be fantastic because we're talking about a player who is one of the greatest of the last 20 years," Vieira told ESPN FC.
He also said, "He's won the Champions League, he's won the World Cup. He played on the biggest teams in Italy. He would be a fantastic example I think and a good professional, he's a good person. I think we have to just wait and see what's going to happen."
