Bonucci Reveals Guardiola’s Manchester City Move Tempted Him in 2016
Leonardo Bonucci has revealed that Pep Guardiola made a sustained attempt to take him from Juventus to Manchester City during Euro 2016, with the former Italy defender admitting the prospect of joining the Premier League club tested his resolve.
Guardiola, who had identified Bonucci’s composure and distribution from defence as a natural fit for his football, pursued the centre-back for several weeks while the Italy squad were at the European Championship. Bonucci said the attention from a coach of Guardiola’s stature was particularly difficult to put aside, even as he tried to focus on the tournament.
“For the way I played, Guardiola was the coach most suited to me and the one who valued building from the back most,” Bonucci explained. “He tried to sign me for weeks. When Guardiola wants you, it is a different feeling and it can make you hesitate. It was not easy during the Euros, when I needed to stay concentrated, but there were conversations during the competition.”
Manchester City offered the attraction of the Premier League and the chance to work under Guardiola at the beginning of the manager’s spell in England. Yet Bonucci’s attachment to Juventus remained decisive. He had already reached a Champions League final with the Turin club and said that the thought of ending his time there was painful, despite the appeal of a new challenge.
He described changing his mind from one day to the next: the prospect of England and Guardiola could feel exciting, but Juventus was the club he had always wanted to represent. The Bianconeri also made their position clear after the Euros, telling him that he would not be sold, even in the event of an extraordinary bid.
Family circumstances were another major factor. Bonucci’s son Matteo, then two years old, had been diagnosed with a serious illness, making a move abroad still less realistic. Bonucci said that situation, together with his uncertainty over leaving Juventus, made staying in Italy the natural outcome.
He acknowledged that a spell under Guardiola would have broadened his technical and tactical development, but remained with Juventus rather than completing what would have been one of the most significant Premier League transfers of that summer.
From retirement to Italy’s staff
Bonucci retired from professional football in 2024 and has since moved into coaching. He is now part of Roberto Mancini’s Italy backroom team, bringing his experience as a long-serving international defender to the national setup.
His next work with Italy will centre on preparations for Nations League meetings with Belgium, Turkiye and France, extending a connection with the Azzurri that shaped much of his playing career.
