World Cup winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has revealed that he will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer when his contract expires at the end of June 2019.

The Italian football legend joined the French champions last year on a free transfer from Juventus. He signed a one-year contract with the option to extend. The Italian icon says the French club offered him a new contract but he opted to leave in pursuit of new challenges after a year in Paris.

The 41-year-old World Cup winner racked up 25 appearances in all competitions for PSG as Thomas Tuchel’s side won Ligue 1 but were beaten in the Coupe de France final. Les Parisiens were also knocked out early in the Champions League by Manchester United and Coupe de la Ligue.

A gentleman on and off the pitch and an extraordinary teammate. We wish you the best for the future ❤️?

Ciao e grazie per tutto, @gianluigibuffon ? pic.twitter.com/exaPtHRdiW

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) June 5, 2019

The club has now announced that Buffon’s contract will not be extended and he has played his last game for the club. “Following joint discussions, Paris Saint-Germain and Gianluigi Buffon have agreed to not renew the legendary goalkeeper’s contract which expires on 30 June 2019,” a statement on the club’s website read.

The 2006 World Cup winner revealed in an Instagram post that PSG had offered him another deal, but he knocked it back. “PSG proposed a contract renewal that I did not feel like accepting, driven by the desire to prepare myself for new experiences and new professional challenges,” he said.

Grazie Grande Gigi ?❤️?@PSG_English thanks @gianluigibuffon for honouring the Rouge & Bleu shirt ?https://t.co/3qxGhKZZgj pic.twitter.com/fevmJ8mc9a

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) June 5, 2019

“Thank you all for everything I have had the opportunity to experience in Paris,” Buffon said. “Thank you for the emotions that we have shared together. Twelve months ago, I arrived at Paris Saint-Germain filled with enthusiasm, welcomed by the incredible warmth of the fans. It was really moving.”

 

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?? Ernest Hemingway ha scritto che “ci sono solo due posti al mondo dove possiamo vivere felicemente: a casa e a Parigi”. Da oggi per me queste due cose un po’ coincideranno. Parigi, a suo modo, sarà per sempre anche un po’ casa. Grazie per ciò che ho avuto la possibilità di vivere. Grazie per l’accoglienza, le emozioni e le fatiche vissute assieme. Uno vicino all’altro. Compagni di lavoro, di squadra e di viaggio. 12 mesi fa sono arrivato pieno di entusiasmo, accolto dall’incredibile calore dei tifosi. Mi avete commosso. Grazie ancora con tutto il cuore. Riparto più ricco e soddisfatto di un’esperienza che mi ha certamente migliorato e fatto crescere ulteriormente. Oggi si conclude questa mia avventura fuori dall’Italia: il @psg mi ha proposto un rinnovo di contratto che non mi sono sentito di accettare spinto dal desiderio di prepararmi a nuove esperienze umane e nuove sfide professionali. Ringrazio il Presidente Nasser, i dirigenti e tutti i miei compagni di squadra che mi hanno regalato tanti giorni di spensierata giovinezza. Vi auguro il meglio convinto che continuerete a scrivere insieme le pagine di questa importante storia. Allez Paris! Merci e bonne chance pour tout! ?? Ernest Hemingway écrit qu’il n’y a que deux endroits au monde où l’on puisse vivre heureux : chez soi et à Paris. Depuis aujourd’hui, ça vaudra pour moi aussi. Paris, en quelque manière, sera toujours un peu chez moi. Merci pour tout ce que j’ai eu la possibilité de vivre. Merci pour l’accueil, les émotions et les fatigues éprouvées ensemble. L’un à côté de l’autre. Compagnons de travail, d’équipe et de voyage. Il y a 12 mois j’arrivais plein d’enthousiasme, accueilli par l’incroyable chaleur des supporters. C’était vraiment émouvant. Merci, encore une fois, de tout mon cœur. Je repars enrichi et satisfait par une expérience qui sans doute m’a amélioré et m’a fait croître. Aujourd’hui se termine mon aventure hors de l’Italie : le Paris Saint-Germain m’a proposé de renouveler mon contrat mais je ne me suis pas senti d’accepter, poussé par le désir d’affronter des nouvelles expériences…

A post shared by Gianluigi Buffon (@gianluigibuffon) on Jun 5, 2019 at 8:33am PDT

“Thank you, once again, from the bottom of my heart. I leave happy to have enjoyed this experience which has undoubtedly helped me to grow. Today my adventure outside Italy comes to an end. I would like to thank the chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the whole club and my teammates. I wish you all the best, convinced that together you will write the pages of a wonderful story.”

“Ernest Hemingway wrote that there are only two places in the world where people can live happily: at home and in Paris. Today onwards, this will also apply to me: Paris, in some way, will always remain my home… Allez Paris! Thank you and good luck with everything!”

The Juventus legend has not revealed his plans for the future so it is unknown if he would play for another football side next season or he would end up as a coach.