Cult hero Pirlo looks set for Juventus return
Andrea Pirlo has reportedly agreed a deal with Juventus that will see him return to the club in a coaching capacity next season.
Former Italy international Pirlo enjoyed four trophy-laden years with Juventus as a player between 2011-15, helping the club to four successive Serie A titles, as well as the Champions League final in 2015.
Pirlo also enjoyed successful spells with Brescia, Inter and AC Milan, while he won 116 caps during a 13-year international career with Italy, the highlight being in 2006 when he played a starring role in the Azzurri’s World Cup success.
The 40-year-old spent the final two years of his playing career in Major League Soccer with New York City before retiring in 2017 and since then he has been working on completing his coaching badges.
It now appears Pirlo is ready to take the step into coaching, with reports in Italy suggesting that he has reached an agreement with Juventus to take over as their under-23s manager from next season.
Juventus under-23s currently play in Serie C – the third tier of Italian football – and Pirlo will be tasked with nurturing the club’s young talent in a bid to get as many players as possible into Maurizio Sarri’s senior squad.
Pirlo will not be based in Turin, however, as the under-23s play their home games 100km away from their senior counterparts at the Stadio Giuseppe Moccagatta in Alessandria.
Fabio Pecchia is currently in charge of Juventus under-23s and it is unclear at this stage whether he will be leaving the club or moving into a different position to accommodate Pirlo.
