-
News
- 5 hours ago
How a 'finished' Andrea Pirlo resurrected Juventus and became 'the signing of the century'
Updated: 14 Feb 2026 14:01 CST |
6 min read
Analysis
Juventus signing Andrea Pirlo from AC Milan on a Bosman deal is one of the most important football transfers of all time.
At FootballTransfers, we determine the importance of a deal based on influence, legacy or the huge impact it had on a particular club or indeed the sport as a whole.
It could be because of a record-breaking or history-making transfer fee. It could be a transfer that broke down a social, cultural or racial barrier. It could be a move that transformed the fortunes of a team and led to a period of dominance. It could be a transfer that simply transcended the sport.
In the case of Pirlo, he resurrected a fallen giant in Juventus and set them up for a decade of success despite having been deemed dispensable and past his best by his previous club.
Why did Juventus sign Andrea Pirlo?
Pirlo was already an Italian legend by the time he left AC Milan in 2011. The former Brescia and Inter midfielder had joined the Rossoneri in 2001 and would go on to spend a decade at the club, winning two Champions Leagues and two Scudetti.
Pirlo had also been a part of the Italy team that triumphed at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He had just over 400 appearances for AC Milan under his belt, so the San Siro club certainly knew what they had in him. Or did they?
Despite his legendary status, AC Milan seemingly still underestimated Pirlo's importance and brilliance, but there was not one specific reason why he left. It was a combination of many different factors.
His age certainly played a part. At 32, some considered Pirlo to be past his best. For a long time, it was speculated that Milan simply wanted to freshen up their midfield.
However, that is not quite true because Milan were open to keeping him. They offered him a one-year extension to his expiring contract, but as Pirlo admitted in 2012, he wanted to sign on for three more years. He felt he still had a lot to give and was somewhat offended that players who were older than him were given longer deals.
Additionally, Pirlo cited disagreements with then-manager Massimiliano Allegri. "The real reason behind why I left Milan was because Allegri wanted to use [Massimo] Ambrosini and [Mark] van Bommel in front of the defence.
"So that meant that I had to change position on the pitch. So I said 'No, thanks' to Milan and chose Juve. Milan decided that I was no longer useful to them. I understood that immediately during our meeting."
In 2023, long after his retirement, he added: "We know the tears we shed. I would have stayed at Milan all my life. I left for many reasons, but not because I wanted more money or wanted to go elsewhere.
"I thought I deserved more years of contract, being the youngest player. I thought I had the opportunity to be there for another few years."
The transfer
Thus, Pirlo departed Milan when his contract expired. It meant that one of the most accomplished midfielders in the history of Italian football became available on a Bosman transfer.
This naturally piqued the interest of many clubs, not least fallen giants Juventus. The Turin outfit was still stuck in footballing no-man's land in early 2011 due to the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal.
Juventus had been forcibly relegated to Serie B in 2006 and lost most of their star players. Although the Bianconeri won the second tier and then finished third back in Serie A, they failed to keep up this momentum, slumping to consecutive seventh-place finishes.
It was therefore seen as a coup when Pirlo opted to join the Old Lady after they offered him the three-year deal he had demanded at Milan. It proved to be a transformative signing - and did not cost a single penny.
Did the transfer work out?
Despite his age of 32, Pirlo enjoyed a career renaissance at Juventus. The classy midfielder became the textbook definition of ageing like a fine wine, seemingly getting better the older he became.
With the maestro dictating the play in midfield, Juventus stormed back to the top of Italian football. Of course, it wasn't all down to Pirlo. Rather, it was the perfect storm for the Turin side, who had appointed Antonio Conte as manager that summer.
In their first campaign with Conte at the helm and Pirlo pulling the strings, Juventus became the first team since Serie A's switch to a 38-game season to win the Scudetto unbeaten. To make it even sweeter for Pirlo, the Bianconeri pipped Milan to the title.
Pirlo's 13 assists were the most in Serie A that season. New signing Arturo Vidal and homegrown midfielder Claudio Marchisio provided the defensive cover that allowed the veteran to operate further forward.
Pirlo was nominated for the 2012 Ballon d'Or, having helped Italy reach the final of Euro 2012, and he was named Serie A's Player of the Year. He repeated both feats in 2013 and also retained his Serie A Player of the Year award in 2014, becoming the first player to win it in three consecutive years.
Juventus retained their Serie A title in 2013 and 2014, achieving the latter with a record points total of 102 and 33 victories. In June 2014, Pirlo extended his expiring contract until 2016, but he was surely surprised when the club appointed Allegri as their new manager.
However, the two managed to put their differences aside. Pirlo remained influential in what proved to be his final season at Juventus. The Old Lady once again retained their Scudetto and reached the Champions League final. Pirlo played the full 90 minutes, but Barcelona ran out 3-1 victors in Berlin.
It was his final game for Juventus. In the summer of 2015, Pirlo signed for MLS expansion side New York City FC. He left the Bianconeri having made 164 appearances. An incredible 15 of his 19 goals for the club were scored from free kicks, which saw him equal Sinisa Mihajlovic's Serie A record of 28.
Legacy
Pirlo won seven trophies during his four seasons at Juventus, but his legacy extends far beyond his own silverware. It was his signing that put Juventus back among the creme de la creme of Serie A and set them up for an unprecedented spell of dominance in Italian football.
After winning four successive Scudetti with Pirlo, Juventus retained the title for five more seasons. Their nine consecutive league championships shattered the previous record of five.
Juventus legend Gianluigi Buffon famously said of the transfer: "When Andrea told me that he was joining us, the first thing I thought was: 'God exists!' A player of his level and ability, not to mention that he was free, I think it was the signing of the century!"
The success Juventus enjoyed with Pirlo saw them return to the elite of European football and allowed them to spend as such. Juventus shelled out €117 million to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in 2018 in a bid to win the Champions League and become a global brand like Real Madrid or Man Utd
However, the profligate spending of those years eventually backfired and doomed the club to mediocrity when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, ravaging the finances of the European game.
Ironically, it was Pirlo who would oversee the end of Juventus' Scudetto streak. Just nine days after being named head coach of Juventus' U23s in the summer of 2020, he was thrust into the first-team hotseat following the sacking of Maurizio Sarri.
Although Pirlo would win the Supercoppa in January 2021, the inexperienced coach was unable to muster a Serie A title challenge. In May, Juventus' streak officially came to an end, and despite also claiming the Coppa Italia, Pirlo was sacked. Juventus haven't won the Scudetto since.
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:
