De Rossi to leave Roma at end of season

Rome: AS Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi’s 18-year playing career at the club will finish at the end of this season, the club said in a statement on Tuesday.

Roma said that the final game of the season, at home to Parma, would be his last for the club he joined as a teenager in 2000. De Rossi has made 615 appearances and scored 63 goals in all competitions.

“We will all shed tears when he pulls on the Giallorossi shirt for the last time against Parma but we respect his desire to prolong his playing career - even if, at almost 36, it will be away from Rome,” said club president James Pallotta.

“The 35-year-old plans to pursue a new adventure away from Rome,” Roma said in a statement.