However one participant who turned down his advances has since spoken out on why he selected to take action amid the lure of trophies and success on the Etihad Stadium.
Leonardo Bonucci says he snubbed Manchester Metropolis and Pep Guardiola… not as soon as, however twice
Leonardo Bonucci in motion for AC Milan again in 2018 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
Talking through Sky Sport Italia on Sunday, former Juventus star Leonardo Bonnuci informed the media about how he twice snubbed Manchester Metropolis – even at one level, making a wage request to the Premier League giants.
“I’ve at all times been right and sincere [it happened] each in 2016 and in 2017 after I joined Milan,” started the previous Italy defender.
Ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“I didn’t go [to Man City] in 2016 as a result of Juventus would by no means promote me, and I used to be comfortable at Juventus at that second.
“In 2017, Montella and Mirabelli referred to as me, saying I’d develop into the [Milan] captain. I didn’t wish to go overseas and had already given Milan the inexperienced mild when PSG and Manchester Metropolis referred to as.”
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After spending seven lengthy years with Juventus, Bonucci joined Milan in 2017, abandoning a legacy that noticed him win eight Serie A titles in whole. The veteran defender additionally admitted in his interview {that a} high-profile fallout with ex-Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri led to his departure.
“I joined Milan due to the well-known friction with Allegri,” Bonucci added. “I wished to stay near house due to my son, and I didn’t really feel like I wished to go overseas as a result of there’s at all times a query mark if you change.
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“The power between the coach, the membership, and me was not the identical. Allegri had prolonged after the Champions League Ultimate, and all of us agreed that we couldn’t proceed collectively. It will have been troublesome to make things better with out splitting.
“I joined Milan as a result of they had been opening a brand new cycle,” continued Bonucci. They signed 12 new gamers in that summer time, however on the finish of the season, when issues had collapsed, they informed me: ‘There’s no extra room for you right here. Due to this fact, I wished to return to Juventus if I needed to go. Once I returned, we felt higher than earlier than.”
