Although Manuel Pellegrini’s current outfit somehow saw fit to spend over £100million on a succession of big-named over-priced stars throughout the course of last summer, Manchester City have underperformed rather dramatically in 2015/16, leaving the in-coming Pep Guardiola with a great deal of work to carry out immediately after taking over as the new boss down at the Etihad.
The upcoming summer transfer window will therefore take on massive precedence for the determined Citizens, for despite including several of the most exciting attacking talents across the entire Premier League spectrum itself, the City back-line has still looked unmistakably vulnerable across large portions of the current league campaign.
So, with Pep Guardiola reportedly highlighting Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci as one of his ‘favourite-ever players’ in recent weeks, have Manchester City finally sourced the right man to tighten things up at the Etihad next season, or should the wealthy Premier League club ultimately look to point their seemingly endless stream of resources elsewhere this summer?
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In light of City’s obvious frailties at the back this season, Guardiola’s subsequent interest in Leonardo Bonucci hardly arrives as much of a surprise. This is one of the most established centre-backs currently operating in Europe after all.
The 28-year-old defender has excelled alongside the likes of both Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli in the heart of the Juventus back-line for several consecutive seasons now. Although Bonucci wouldn’t exactly represent the most cultured ball-playing centre-back the Premier League has ever seen, his no-nonsense nature and defensive reading of the game are certainly up there with some of the very best defenders the modern game has to offer.
When it comes to maintaining the highest levels of concentration throughout the entire 90 minutes, displaying clear prowess when reading the game and cutting out possession effectively – as well as simply giving everything he has to offer in the tackle and every subsequent 50/50 challenge that may come his way – Leonardo Bonucci is most definitely worthy of the relevant attention to greet his name this season.
Put in no uncertain terms whatsoever, Manchester City have been a complete disappointment from a defensive point of view in 2015/16. The likes of Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi may have set their current employers back a small fortune each in recent transfer windows, but neither defender has ultimately served to impress all that much in the Premier League thus far.
The usually dependent and reliable Vincent Kompany is seemingly coming to the latter stages of his top-flight career of course, so if Manchester City genuinely want to reassert their dominance back in the English game next season, a signing of Leonardo Bonucci’s undisputed calibre would certainly point the Citizens in the right direction.
Yet whilst Manchester City remain seriously interested in the potential capture of the Italian international this summer however, they may have to fend off some equally significant attention from Chelsea if they really want to bring Leonardo Bonucci to the Premier League next term.
The Blues have been suffering an equally concerning fate at the back in 2015/16 it must be said – and with the long-term Chelsea skipper, John Terry, looking increasingly likely to depart the realms of Stamford Bridge at the end of the current campaign – Jose Mourinho’s permanent successor could certainly do with some much needed defensive recruits on board in the not too distant future.
So then, whilst Manchester City seem well placed to sign the £25million rated man at the final culmination of the domestic season, Pep Guardiola will seemingly have a great deal of persuading to do in order to fend off the potentially dangerous interest from his ambitious counter-parts down at Stamford Bridge this summer.
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