Leonardo Bonucci's Near Move to Manchester City

Leonardo Bonucci has revealed just how close he came to walking away from Juventus at the height of his powers – and how Pep Guardiola almost persuaded him to swap Turin for Manchester.

Speaking to World Soccer Agency, via Sport Mediaset, the former Italy defender opened up on the intense courtship from Manchester City in 2016, when he stood at the peak of his reputation as one of Europe’s most complete ball‑playing centre-backs.

Guardiola, newly arrived in England, identified Bonucci as a cornerstone for his rebuild. Not just a defender, but a playmaker in the first line. A specialist in building from the back.

“For my style of football, the coach who is best suited and most appreciates playing out from the back is Guardiola,” Bonucci said. “So he courted me for many weeks, and let me tell you, being courted by Guardiola is not like any other experience. You really do start to wobble, and it was tough taking place during the Euros, where I had to be concentrated, but even during the tournament there were some discussions.”

The timing could hardly have been more dramatic. Bonucci was in the middle of Euro 2016 with Italy, trying to marshal a defence and lead a nation, while one of the game’s most influential coaches pushed hard in the background. The lure was obvious: the Premier League, a new project, and a manager whose philosophy mirrored his own strengths.

For a moment, he allowed himself to dream.

“As far as I was concerned, the idea of leaving Juventus made my heart ache,” he admitted. “Some days I’d say to myself, oh wonderful, the Premier League and Guardiola, but then the day after I remembered that I had always dreamed of Juventus.”

That inner conflict defined the saga. On one side, Manchester City, already emerging as a dominant force in England and ready to build a team around him. On the other, Juventus – the club with which he had already reached a Champions League final, the shirt he had always imagined himself wearing.

The emotional pull of Turin was strong. Then life made the decision even heavier.

Away from the pitch, Bonucci was dealing with something far more serious than tactics and transfers. His two-year-old son Matteo had been diagnosed with a serious illness, a battle that reshaped his priorities and hardened his resolve to stay close to home.

“After the Euros, I spoke to Juve,” Bonucci said. “Matteo’s illness and the fact I didn’t feel 100 per cent about leaving Juve, especially as the club told me that I would not be sold even if an incredible offer came in, made it a normal decision to stay. Working with Guardiola would’ve allowed me to have even greater experience, technically and tactically.”

The pull of Guardiola’s football, the promise of a new league, the chance to test himself in England – all of it was real. But Juventus would not open the door, and Bonucci’s heart would not let him force it.

In the end, the move that could have reshaped both City’s defence and Bonucci’s legacy remained just that: a near miss, decided as much by family and loyalty as by football.