Last updated on .From the section European Football

Gianluigi Buffon made 24 appearances for Paris St-Germain last season

Former Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has agreed an emotional return to former club Juventus next season.

Buffon, 41, spent 17 years with the Turin giants before joining Paris St-Germain last summer.

He announced on 5 June that he would leave PSG after a single season and now BBC Sport understands he will have a medical at Juventus on Thursday.

The former Italy skipper, who won 176 international caps, is one of the most-decorated players in the game.

In addition to the 2006 World Cup, Buffon won nine Serie A titles and four Italian Cups. He also won the French league last season.

He needs to make just eight more Serie A appearances to break the record of 647 currently held by AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini.

Buffon will be Juventus' third free transfer of the summer following Aaron Ramsey's move from Arsenal and Adrien Rabiot's release by Paris St-Germain.