Italian star Del Piero for PTT Rayong?
Alessandro Del Piero has been linked with a lucrative move to Thai outfit PTT Rayong after the former Italy international reportedly refused to extend his contract with Australian club Sydney FC.
There has been speculation that the 39-year-old, who spent almost his entire career with Italian giants Juventus, is unhappy with the A-League club despite being the highest earner.
PTT Rayong said they have already started the negotiation process to bring the forward, whose contract with the Sydney-based club will expire in June, to the country for the upcoming Thai Premier League season, which kicks off next month.
“We are negotiating the deal through his brother, Stefano, who is also his agent. They said Del Piero would take a few days before making his decision whether to join us or not. He currently has two options; play for us or return to Juventus to take on the ambassadorial role for the Italian club,” said Pol Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri, the PTT Rayong manager.
Prawut also said his team would be willing to stage a “fitting farewell” match for Del Piero, who helped Juventus win seven Serie A titles and the Champions League crown in 1996, should he decide to join the Thai club at the twilight of his career.
“We’re hoping that he would end his career with us. If he join us, the farewell match would be a “big” event befitting a player of his stature,” he said.
Del Piero’s current employers, Sydney FC, are still holding out hopes that the former Juventus captain and World Cup winner would extend his stay at the A-League club beyond the current season.
“I don’t like commenting on speculation. At the moment, he is contracted until the end of the season. We will discuss his future when the time is right.
“The deals that his brother and agent talk about is up to them but there is always speculation surrounding a player of his calibre,” Tony Pignata, the Sydney FC CEO, was quoted as saying by the Australian Association Press.
