Leonardo Bonucci confirms: “I was in talks with Roma, but Mourinho left me out to dry.” | OneFootball

Former Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci went over his failed transfer to the Italian capital last year.

In an interview with Prime Video, the defender spoke about his failed move to Roma during the 2023/24 winter transfer window.

According to his statements, a move to José Mourinho’s team seemed to be a real possibility. However, for reasons that were not detailed, the deal did not come to fruition.

“The story of Roma was true. I was in talks with them,” he said.

“Mourinho called me more than once. He told me: ‘Train well because on January 3 you will play against Cremonese’. So I replied: ‘Okay. In Germany the championship stops on the 20th, so I will be out for 2/3 days and then I will start training on the 28th, when I will return to Germany. As soon as the transfer window opens I will arrive’.”

“We had found a sort of agreement around December 23rd, but bad luck wanted the news to come out during the Christmas period, when no one is working and there is nothing going on, In Rome, therefore, the point of discussion had become Bonucci.”

“Some fans exaggerated it… Mourinho thought that Roma would renew his contract because of the love the fans showed him, so he seized the opportunity and preferred to focus on something else without even calling me afterwards, leaving me out to dry.”

“I was a bit disappointed, to be honest. Men talk to each other,” he added.

“I saw him again in Istanbul and I told him: ‘Thank you for not bringing me to Rome because I came to Istanbul, I got to know a beautiful city and very good people. In the end you didn’t take me to Rome but I still have to thank you.'”