Why Juventus Need to Do Everthing They Can to Keep Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo's three-year contract that he signed with Juventus in 2010 is winding down, and it will expire next summer.

The 34-year-old gladly signed with the Bianconeri after Milan failed to offer a sufficient extension on his deal at the time, and it is almost certain that Adriano Galliani has regretted that decision ever since.

The maestro has produced some vintage performances over the last two seasons and can consider himself a major factor in transforming the Old Lady back into the domestic powerhouse that they were before the Calciopoli scandal.

In all probability, Pirlo will end that three-year spell with a hat-trick of scudetti, although Napoli and potentially Roma, too, might argue that talk is premature.

There is no doubt that Juve must fight to keep Pirlo though, as they find themselves in the opposite position to the one that they gladly occupied two years ago, attempting to persuade the Azzurri legend to remain at the Juventus Stadium.

Pirlo will have options, of that there is no doubt, and with approximately eight months until rival clubs can ghost in to snatch one of the Bianconeri's prized assets on a free transfer, the number of clubs linked to the great man will grow significantly.

Just this week, Pirlo has been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Spurs potentially his destination, with former Juve star Gianluca Vialli stating to Sky Italia (via the Express), "There has been contact between Pirlo and Tottenham for next season."

Antonio Conte was a massive factor in persuading the board to not sell Fabio Quagliarella—a player he holds affection for—after Alessandro Matri was allowed to leave for rivals Milan.

One has to imagine that he will fight to keep Pirlo, too, especially as he has been one of the protagonists in his first significant success as a manager.

Juve might doubt whether Pirlo can continue to put in stellar performances on a regular basis and whether he merits an exorbitant salary as a result, but the same concerns sprouted at Milan two years ago, and they have been made to look daft.

Not only is Pirlo's role as the side's regista crucial to success in Turin, but without the bearded genius, Juve's whole tactical approach becomes unstuck as they struggle to build a possession-based approach to their attacks.

Sure, his role will be lessened due to the fierce competition and the physical strain on his body to play two matches in a week, but that is no reason to discard such a genius.

As Juve gradually transform their style away from Pirlo as his career winds down, youngsters such as Paul Pogba, or even potential future signings such as Marco Verratti, could gain invaluable experience learning from an all-time great not just on the pitch, but in training every day too.

Something that will be less obvious once Pirlo leaves is the increased scrutiny placed on Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and even Pogba if he is given a starting berth in his place.

Greater pressure to produce excellence, as well as replicate what Pirlo has brought to the side in recent years, will become apparent, so why would you make life more difficult on your players, even if they could handle it.

It is inevitable that Pirlo's time will come to an end sooner or later, maybe in a couple of years one could realistically expect, so without looking too far into the future, it is probable that Pirlo has a lot to offer the game once his playing days come to an end.

With such a wealth of experience and the ability to see a game in a different manner to the vast majority of professionals out there, his input from a coaching perspective could become invaluable some day.

If Juve strive to keep Pirlo until the end of his career, they might just be able to tap into that managerial potential.

So while there is still no real urgency to make Pirlo sign at this stage, Juve will need to begin plotting their strategy for the next season and whether or not to include their legendary regista.

Once they examine the possibilities a little closer, it should become apparent that they should do all they can to keep Pirlo in black and white.