Bonucci explains why he snubbed Man City twice and what Milan told him before Juventus return | OneFootball

Former Italy international Leonardo Bonucci says Manchester City were interested in signing him in 2016 and 2017 and that he had even made a salary request to the Premier League giants.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City wanted to sign former Italian defender Bonucci twice, the ex-Juventus centre-back told Sky Sport Italia on Sunday.

Bonucci said that City had made contact with him and his entourage twice during his playing career.

“I’ve always been correct and honest [it happened] both in 2016 and in 2017 when I joined Milan.

Bonucci explains why he snubbed Man City twice and what Milan told him before Juventus return

“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.”

Bonucci said he had even made a salary request to Manchester City but still decided to join Milan.

His 2017 move to San Siro was completed in a matter of days after he fell out with ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri.

“I joined Milan because of the famous friction with Allegri,” Bonucci recalled.

“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.

“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.”

Bonucci played 507 games for Juventus, scoring 37 goals and winning nine eight Serie A titles.

During his season at Milan, he scored two goals in 51 appearances.

A former Italy international, Bonucci was one of the Azzurri leaders in 2021 when Roberto Mancini’s side won the Euros in an epic final against England at Wembley Stadium. He scored the equaliser before Itay’s win on penalties.

Bonucci scored eight goals in 121 international appearances.