The 34-year-old Argentine made 263 appearances in eight years with the Magpies.
Newcastle United’s summer transfer activity has continued with confirmation that increasingly unpopular club captain Fabricio Coloccini has left the club to return to his native Argentina with San Lorenzo.
Coloccini joined the Magpies in 2008 and was a hugely impressive figure in the centre of defence in his first few years at the club, acting as the cornerstone of the backline and being named in the Championship Team of the Year in 2009-10 and, two years later, in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
However, the 34-year-old has undeniably suffered something of a fall from grace in recent times, something which can perhaps be traced back to his transfer request in January 2013, when he asked to be allowed to move home to Argentina.
Though he stayed at the club, his form gradually began to decline, and he hit perhaps his career low point this season when he was accused by many Magpies fans of failing to stand up to be counted as the club spiralled towards relegation.
After 263 appearances for the club, the last of which came back in February, Coloccini has now finally been allowed to complete his homecoming.
What that may mean for Newcastle, given the reports last week that the club will not allow him to leave until they have found a replacement, is that supporters may find themselves with a new defensive addition to welcome in the next few days.
For now though, it is time to reflect on the exit of Coloccini, and for some supporters it was a time to celebrate as a hero-turned-villain finally sealed his exit.
Others, however, were more kind and chose to remember the years of service given to the club by Coloccini, who once ranked amongst their best defenders of recent times and chose to stick with the club upon their relegation in 2009.
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