Fabio Borini announced his retirement from professional football on Wednesday evening. The former Liverpool forward shared a heartfelt message on Instagram to close a career that spanned over a decade.
Borini joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer of 2012 for a fee of £10.5 million. He spent three years at Anfield, making 38 appearances and scoring three goals. His debut season yielded two goals in 20 games, and after a loan at Sunderland, he returned to make a further 18 appearances under Brendan Rodgers before a permanent move to the Black Cats in 2015.
His journey continued across Europe with spells at AC Milan, Hellas Verona, Sampdoria, and Fatih Karagumruk before a return to England with Salford City last summer. He netted five times in 33 matches there before being released at the season's end.
In his retirement post, Borini reflected on starting his career as a 16-year-old at Chelsea. "I want to thank that kid who never stopped believing," he wrote. Former teammates including Jordan Henderson and Patrick van Aanholt paid tribute online, and Liverpool issued a statement wishing him well for the future.
As Borini steps away, the current Liverpool side prepares for a key test. They host league leaders Manchester City on 11 October, aiming to build on a strong recent run of four wins and a draw from their last five games.
First reported at Liverpool FC
