The end of an era
Claudio Marchisio has left Juventus, 25 years after joining the club as a child.
It was
announced on Friday that the 32-year-old Italian international had agreed to terminate his contract with Juve, becoming a free agent.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmktynkBNVi/?taken-by=footballjoeunited
With the exception of the 2007/08 season - where he was loaned to Empoli - Marchisio has spent his entire career with the
Bianconeri, making nearly 400 appearances. He won seven straight Serie A titles, three Italian Super Cups and four Coppa Italia trophies with Juve, also featuring in two Champions League finals.
All this considered, it's understandable that the decision to bid farewell to the club was a difficult one, as was apparent from the post Marchisio shared to Instagram after the announcement was made.
Accompanying a picture of him in action for one of Juve's junior sides, he wrote: 'I can't stop looking at this photograph and these stripes on which I wrote my life as a man and a footballer.
'I love this shirt to the point that, despite everything, I am convinced that the good of the team comes first. All the time.'
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmkrDAaFS5x/?taken-by=marchisiocla8
Despite being a regular in the Juve team for the best part of the last decade, Marchisio had struggled to re-establish himself after suffering an injury to the cruciate ligament in his left knee two years ago.
His next move appears uncertain, with Friday marking the close of the transfer window in Italy. Some rumours have suggested he may follow in the footsteps of former Juve and Italy teammate, Andrea Pirlo, by moving to Major League Soccer.
