OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: Claudio Marchisio signs with Zenit St. Petersburg

Claudio Marchisio hasn’t worn the Np. 10 since he was a member of Juventus’ youth squads, something that changed as he went from a trequartista into the model for a box-to-box midfielder as he got older.

Marchisio will wear No. 10 at his new club.

And that new club will be in Russia.

We now know the next destination of one of Juventus’ best and most important players of the current generation, as Marchisio has agreed to a deal with Zenit St. Petersburg, the club announced on Monday night. Marchisio, who has been a free agent ever since he mutually agreed to part ways with Juventus after 25 years on transfer deadline day last month, has reportedly signed a two-year contract and will sport the No. 10 with Zenit.

Marchisio signing with Zenit might be a surprise to some seeing as it looked like a destination in France was the likely favorite ever since he became available on a free. There were rumors of Marchisio joining Monaco well before contract termination day, and it’s not like those died down once he was choose to go where he so pleased. There was also talk of a possible reunion with countryman Gigi Buffon at Paris Saint-Germain, but that didn’t have the same kind of steam behind it like the talk of Monaco did.

Instead, Marchisio isn’t heading to the glamorous Mediterranean coastline, rather probably loading up on winter jackets as he prepares for winter-time Europa League matches with Zenit.