According to a recent report by Goal.com, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City are said to be looking to sign two centre-halves in the upcoming summer transfer window, with Pep Guardiola claimed to be ‘dreaming’ of acquiring Italian veteran Leonardo Bonucci. The report suggests that Guardiola’s interest is despite the fact that the defender recently signed an extension at the Juventus Stadium, in a deal that would keep him in Turin until the end of the 2023/24 league season at least.
Manchester City’s admiration over Bonucci has been no secret over the last few transfer windows, and Pep Guardiola’s men are expected to go down that exact road again this time around. The Juventus vice-captain is set to turn 33 in a few days, and the Old Lady are said to have no intentions of selling him, with the intent of using him to train their two younger centre-half options. Bonucci himself isn’t insistent on a move either, as he’s quite well respected as a leader in the dressing room.
What Has Manchester City’s Defensive Situation Been This Season?
The Citizens started the campaign looking just as good as they did when the 18/19 league season ended. With a reasonably similar squad with some added strength in the core, Guardiola looked well prepared for whatever Premier League football had to throw at them. Unfortunately for them though, a simple injury blow seemed to cause their entire season to unravel. Even granted that it was a gradual process that had various other factors in play, it’s worth conceding that the knock to Ayermic Laporte in the early weeks of the campaign had an alarming effect on the rest of this City team.
In Laporte, Guardiola lost his leader at the back. To that end, he surprisingly decided to promote Fernandinho into the centre-half role, despite already possessing a couple of natural options within the side. Nicolas Otamendi was usually the one seen partnering the Brazilian veteran, as John Stones was often required to simply warm up the bench. Compared to the 18/19 league season, it’s safe to say that the City defence was in shambles this time around, and acquiring quality at the back is the only way things are going to improve at the Etihad.
What Makes Bonucci A Good Option For Guardiola?
Although the Italian’s rising age isn’t necessarily ideal for the Citizens, the fact that he’s one of the best ball-playing centre-halves in the world will surely be a point of attraction. The former AC Milan man is one of the few remaining in the world from a rare breed of no-nonsense defenders who work hard to get the job done. Adept at collecting the ball and playing the right pass, Bonucci would be exactly what this Manchester City team needs.
The 32-year-old maintains his composure in even the most high-pressure situations, and he will be a massive asset to have in the combative nature of the Premier League. Standing at over 1.9m tall, Bonucci would also provide excellent cover at the back when defending opposition corners or set-pieces, while he also pops up with the odd goals now and then.
The Italian veteran has played in 25 Serie A appearances this season and even managed to score three times along the way. Signing Bonucci would be a quick-fix to Guardiola’s biggest defensive concerns, but convincing the Old Lady to sell him could be a whole other matter altogether.
