Patric leaves Lazio after 11 years for UAE side Al-Ettifaq | OneFootball

Lazio have bid farewell to their longest-serving player, with Patric departing after 11 years as the UAE transfer window closed on Monday.

The club said in a statement that Patricio Gabarrón Gil has joined Al-Ettifaq on a permanent deal.

A Barcelona academy graduate, the Spaniard arrived in 2015 and made 244 appearances for the Biancocelesti.

An injury kept him out of pre-season, and head coach Gennaro Gattuso left him off the Serie A squad list. The subsequent arrival of centre-back Diogo Leite underlined the change of direction.

Rather than see out the final year of his contract on the sidelines, he accepted an offer from the Dubai-based club, who play in the Emirati second tier. The team includes former Serie A forwards Mario Balotelli and Douglas Costa, and is coached by ex-Juventus defender Paolo Montero.

In a farewell video on Lazio’s channels, Patric thanked supporters for their unwavering backing, said he arrived a boy and leaves a man, and stressed he would step aside once he felt he could no longer give everything. He added that he departs with a full heart and will always carry the club with him.

Source: The Laziali

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