In a recent report, Todo Fichajes has claimed that Manchester City are eyeing a move for Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci as Pep Guardiola has requested the club to land him next year. However, it is believed that Juve are unwilling to let the Italian centre-back leave as he is still under contract at Turin until 2024 which could be a big stumbling block for Man City to overcome in the future (via Todo Fichajes).
Bonucci’s Solid Form At The Allianz Stadium This Season
The 33-year-old has experienced a solid start to this campaign as he has been a regular feature in Andrea Pirlo’s first XI. Bonucci has featured in 13 matches for the Italian giants this term, netting two goals in the process across all competitions.
More importantly, the Italian centre-back has given a good account of himself on the defensive end of the field because he is averaging 0.8 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 2.9 clearances and 0.9 shots per game in the Serie A this season. He has also been exceptionally accurate when distributing the ball out from the back as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 90.8% in league football (stats via whoscored).
Bonucci is a serial winner and has a got a wealth of experience of playing at the highest level. Hence, he would be a welcome, short-term addition to Pep Guardiola and could serve in a role similar to how Vincent Kompany operated during his time at the Etihad Stadium.
What Will The Italian Defensive Ace Bring To The Etihad Stadium?
Bonucci is still one of the best defenders in the Serie A and can be a dominant presence as he can use his strong 1.90m to win a lot of aerial duels for his side. He is also quite aggressive with his tackles and can make a few important interceptions at the back.
The 99-time Italian international has got excellent defensive awareness that allows him to snuff out the danger quickly but can sometimes lack the pace to make recovering runs inside his half. Furthermore, he is capable of playing some wonderful diagonals to the front players and has remarkable composure to retain possession when the opposition players are pressing him high up the field.
An experienced defender of Bonucci’s quality would be a shrewd signing for Man City as he will enhance the quality of their first-team even more and would potentially bring the winning mindset back to the Etihad Stadium. The Italian veteran could also inspire Guardiola’s younger players to do well in terms of their development in the years to come.
With all things considered, it makes sense for the Mancunian outfit to splash the cash on landing Bonucci this winter as he could help them compete for the elusive UEFA Champions League trophy in the coming seasons.
