Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is said to have twice failed in his attempts to sign an iconic Italian defender.
The Manchester City boss has worked with a whole host of talented stars across his career, with some now considering the 53-year-old as one of the best managers in the world – and certainly one of the most influential to have ever graced the professional game.
But one player who turned down his advances has since spoken out on why he chose to do so amid the lure of trophies and success at the Etihad Stadium.
Leonardo Bonucci says he snubbed Manchester City and Pep Guardiola… not once, but twice
Speaking via Sky Sport Italia on Sunday, former Juventus star Leonardo Bonnuci told the media about how he twice snubbed Manchester City – even at one point, making a salary request to the Premier League giants.
“I’ve always been correct and honest [it happened] both in 2016 and in 2017 when I joined Milan," began the former Italy defender.
“I didn’t go [to Man City] in 2016 because Juventus would never sell me, and I was happy at Juventus at that moment.
"In 2017, Montella and Mirabelli called me, saying I’d become the [Milan] captain. I didn’t want to go abroad and had already given Milan the green light when PSG and Manchester City called.”
After spending seven long years with Juventus, Bonucci joined Milan in 2017, leaving behind a legacy that saw him win eight Serie A titles in total. The veteran defender also admitted in his interview that a high-profile fallout with ex-Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri led to his departure.
“I joined Milan because of the famous friction with Allegri,” Bonucci added. “I wanted to remain close to home because of my son, and I didn’t feel like I wanted to go abroad because there is always a question mark when you change.
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“The energy between the coach, the club, and me was no longer the same. Allegri had extended after the Champions League Final, and we all agreed that we could not continue together. It would have been difficult to fix things without splitting.
“I joined Milan because they were opening a new cycle,” continued Bonucci. They signed 12 new players in that summer, but at the end of the season, when things had collapsed, they told me: ‘There’s no more room for you here. Therefore, I wanted to return to Juventus if I had to go. When I returned, we felt better than before.”
