Chelsea are reportedly keeping tabs on Juventus centre-half Leonardo Bonucci. After his recent fall out with Juve manager Max Allegri, the 29-year-old’s future with the Italian giants is in doubt and Antonio Conte is unlikely to leave this golden opportunity to make a move.
Bonucci has played under Conte before, during his stint with Juventus from 2011 to 2014. The manager knows the player well and is confident that he would fit in his three-at-the-back formation.
A move is on the cards for him after he was left on the bench in their Champions League win over Porto last week following the bust-up. He did not even feature in Juventus’ 2-0 win over Empoli on Saturday although he was reinstated to their line-up.
And with Conte’s side needing more beefing up at the back with Branislav Ivanovic gone and John Terry likely to retire at the end of the season, Chelsea are planning to go big this transfer window after they had to keep things low profile owing to their absence from the European platform in the summer transfer window. With Juventus keen on banking on their young and impressive talents like Mattia Caldara and Daniele Rugani, Bonucci is likely to leave.
The 22-year-old Caldara is enjoying a brilliant season with Atalanta and Juve also rate him very highly. Rugani, also 22, has been impressive so far and looks to have won the confidence of Allegri. And Juventus will be easier to lure if the fee is at the higher side of £40m with players like Chiellini, Barzagli and Benatia already as options in the centre-half position.
Although the centre-half turns 30 next year, he still retains the defensive vigour and energy in him and his talent and experience to make him eligible enough to play in the English Premier League. A product of ADC Viterbese Youth, Inter Milan picked up Bonucci back in 2005 and he broke into the first team the next year itself.
His lack of experience, however, led him to spend loan stints away at ACD Treviso and AC Pisa 1909, before he was sold to Genoa CFC in 2009 from where he went to FC Bari 1908. Juventus had picked him up in 2010 from Bari and he has since been their first-choice at the back playing 304 times.
And although the Serie A champions insist Bonucci’s fall out with Allegri is not as serious as reported, if he continues to remain benched for big fixtures, he will surely seek play-time elsewhere. Bonucci excels in his passing, an attribute that could be hugely effective in Chelsea’s setup.
