Gianluigi Buffon Says He's Leaving Juventus, Stops Short of Retiring

Gianluigi Buffon will leave Juventus after 17 years with the Italian club.

Gianluigi Buffon will leave Juventus this summer after 17 years with the Old Lady of Turin.

The Italian World Cup winner has made over 650 appearances for the Bianconeri, winning 11 Serie A titles and 4 Coppas Italia.

"Saturday will be my last match with Juventus and I believe it will be the best way to conclude this adventure," said Buffon, quoted by BBC Sport. Juve face Verona in their final match of the season.

"My fear was to get to the end as a player with a broken engine but it's not like this. I'm proud that up to 40 years of age I've tried to express top performances up to expectations and Juventus' name."

However, Buffon did not confirm that he would be retiring from football, though he did say that he had been offered a coaching role at Juventus.

"On Saturday I will play a match and this is the only thing that is certain," he said. "Then I will have a continuous dialogue with the President and he is aware of what's going on around me. I would like to rely on his advice support and suggestions.

"15 days ago it was known I wanted to stop playing football but now some proposals on and off the pitch have arrived and one of them, off the pitch, came from Andrea [Agnelli, Juventus' President].

"I will decide next week to follow my spirit."

Buffon has been linked with a surprise move to Liverpool and the fact that he did not mention retirement will only lend support to those rumors.