Pirlo open to extending New York stay

New York City star Andrea Pirlo has not ruled out the possibility of extending his contract with the MLS club.

Pirlo’s deal expires in December after the Italy international midfielder joined David Villa and Frank Lampard from Juventus in New York last year.

The 36-year-old is in the twilight of his career but Pirlo is enjoying the anonymity in New York, so much so he is open to the possibility of playing on at Yankee Stadium.

“I don’t rule out the idea of staying here,” Pirlo told the New York Times. “That could be something interesting.

“I always wanted to come here to play, but I never thought it would be so soon.”

“Just being able to go out to dinner at the trendiest restaurants — in Italy, I can’t do that,” Pirlo added.

“There were times we were kept in our dressing room until late at night because it wasn’t safe to go home. Our bus would get attacked, the tires slit.”

Pirlo, who made 13 appearances in New York’s inaugural season, and Patrick Vieira’s men open their 2016 MLS campaign at Chicago Fire on Sunday.