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• Juventus sign 32-year-old Pirlo on three-year deal
• Signing could rule out deal for Liverpool’s Aquilani

Juventus have confirmed the signing of Andrea Pirlo on a three-year contract in a move which could jeopardise the proposed permanent deal for Liverpool’s Alberto Aquilani.

Pirlo, the 32-year-old Italy midfielder, is ending a 10-year stay at Milan, and passed a medical in Turin on Tuesday.

A statement from Juventus read: “Andrea Pirlo is officially a Juventus player. The signed contract will run from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2014.”

Pirlo, 32, has been one of Milan’s most consistent performers for the past decade, helping them win two Champions League titles. He also won the World Cup with Italy in 2006.

Pirlo struggled with injuries and form this season, though, and made just 12 Serie A starts as Milan won the title.

His signing could now reduce the chance of Juventus also completing a deal for Aquilani, who spent the season at the club on loan from Liverpool. However Aquilani’s agent insisted he believes a deal will still be done in the coming days.

“The percentage that Aquilani will remain at Juventus is above 50 percent,” Franco Zavaglia told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“He has three years left on his contract with Liverpool. I believe that in a couple of days the two clubs will reach an agreement.”

Juventus, who failed to qualify for European football next season after finishing seventh in Serie A, had refused to pay the asking price of £16m demanded by Liverpool for the player’s permanent signature. However, Zavaglia is confident an agreement will be reached.

“Juventus should have paid £16m for the buy-out clause but I don’t think there will be any problems regarding the financial aspects. I believe within the next week everything will be resolved.”

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• ‘I would like to stay in Turin for a long time’ says midfielder
• Italians must find £14m to make loan move permanent

Alberto Aquilani has expressed his desire to remain at Juventus long term despite the Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish suggesting the on-loan midfielder has a future at Anfield.

The 26-year-old lasted just one injury-plagued season at Liverpool after his £17m move from Roma in the summer of 2009, before the departure of Rafael Benítez, the man who brought him to England, led to his own exit from Anfield.

Benítez’s successor, Roy Hodgson, ushered the Italy international out on loan in August but Dalglish is an admirer of the midfielder’s talents and yesterday said: “He could be coming back to play for Liverpool. He could be a valuable asset here next season.”

However, Aquilani seems intent on remaining in his homeland, although with Juventus apparently unwilling to pay the £14m fee agreed at the outset of his loan deal, his future remains unclear.

“My situation is simple. It all depends on Juventus – if they want to, [they can] buy me without asking anyone’s opinion,” Aquilani told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“I would like to stay in Turin for a long time and win a lot. I want to be a protagonist in the new winning cycle that is opening up at Juventus.

“I have no doubt that Juve’s project is a winner, they just need a little patience.”

Aquilani also feels, after 29 Serie A appearances for Juventus this season, that he has finally shaken off his injury-prone reputation.

“I played with great continuity, without any particular problems,” he added.

“I finally removed the tag of me always being injured. I knew I was healthy, that I was just unlucky in the past, but in football people just want to label someone.”

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• Liverpool midfielder currently on loan at Serie A side
• ‘Juve has the priority and I don’t think they’ll let him escape’

Alberto Aquilani is likely to sign with Juventus at the end of the season, according to the player’s agent.

The Liverpool midfielder returned to Serie A on loan last August after only one injury-affected season in the Premier League. And Aquilani’s representative, Franco Zavaglia, has suggested the Italian is ready to extend his stay in Turin despite being linked with his former club Roma.

“Aquilani to Roma? That will be difficult. Juve has the priority and I don’t think they will let him escape,” he told the Italian broadcaster Radio Mana Mana. “On 30 June Juventus will be able to buy Aquilani and they should act now.

“They could sign him by making three to four delayed payments, a system which was established last summer. The agreement between Liverpool and Juventus is already there, it all depends on the willingness of Juventus. I think Aquilani will stay at Juventus and there will not be any obstacles.”

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