<!--Article Start--> <p style="text-align: justify">Italian World Cup-winner Andrea Pirlo has joined MLS side New York City FC on a two-and-a-half-year deal after being granted a free transfer by Juventus, both clubs and the player confirmed on Twitter on Monday.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The 36-year-old playmaker leaves the Italian champions after four hugely successful years in Turin which yielded four Serie A titles, the 2015 Coppa Italia and two Italian Supercups.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">His last competitive game for the Old Lady was the 2015 Champions League final in Berlin's Olympiastadion, which they lost 3-1 to Barcelona.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Pirlo was on a contract at Juventus until June 2016 but the 2014/15 Italian double winners agreed for him to join New York a year early.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"Grazie Maestro," said a message on Juve's Twitter account thanking Pirlo for his service.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"Official, Pirlo will continue his career at New York City FC after four years in black and white," the statement added.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"A huge thank you", read a message on Pirlo's official Twitter account to his now former club.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"It was not easy to decide, but the time has come to start a new adventure, but I will never forget the relationship I have with these colours," he assured.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">With the pinnacle of his career coming in Germany in 2006 when Italy lifted the World Cup after a penalty-shootout victory over France, Pirlo also won two Serie A titles, two Champions Leagues and a Coppa Italia with AC Milan during a 10-year spell at the San Siro.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Based in the Bronx, New York City FC is regarded as the second club in the Big Apple after New York Red Bulls, the former club of the now-retired Thierry Henry.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Pirlo, who has signed an initial 18-month deal with an option for a further year, will play alongside former Chelsea great Frank Lampard and ex-Barcelona striker David Villa.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Meanwhile, Juventus have announced that coach Massimiliano Allegri has signed a one-year contract extension that will keep him at Juventus Stadium until June 2017.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Italy international midfielder Claudio Marchisio has also penned a new deal with the record 31-time national champions; Marchisio will remain with the Old Lady until the summer of 2020 after signing a four-year extension to his current deal, which was due to expire next year.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Marchisio's decision to stay will be a major boost for Juventus, with the futures of star midfielders Paul Pogba and Chile's Copa America winner Arturo Vidal in doubt due to interest from other top European clubs.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Striker Carlos Tevez has already left the club for a return to his native Argentina with Boca Juniors, with Atletico Madrid's Mario Mandzukic and Palermo's Argentine forward Paulo Dybala signed to replace him.</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong>By AFP</strong> . </p> <!--Article End-->