TURIN, ITALY — Former Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has revealed that he came close to joining Manchester City in 2016 after Pep Guardiola personally pushed to bring him to the Premier League, but his deep emotional connection with Juventus and a difficult family situation ultimately convinced him to stay in Turin.
Bonucci was a major target for Guardiola during the summer of 2016, when the Spanish coach was beginning his tenure at Manchester City. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager admired the Italian defender’s ability to play out from the back and believed his style would suit his footballing philosophy perfectly.
Speaking to the World Soccer Agency via Sport Mediaset, Bonucci admitted that Guardiola’s interest was difficult to ignore, particularly because it came during the 2016 European Championship. “For my style of football, the coach who is best suited and most appreciates playing out from the back is Guardiola. So he courted me for many weeks,” Bonucci explained.
The former Italy international admitted that the attention from Guardiola made him seriously consider leaving Juventus. “Being courted by Guardiola is not like any other experience. You really do start to wobble,” he said, revealing that discussions even took place while he was representing Italy at the Euros.
However, despite the possibility of moving to the Premier League and working under one of the world’s most highly regarded managers, Bonucci struggled with the thought of leaving Juventus. The defender had already established himself as a key figure at the Italian club and had helped them reach the Champions League final. His emotional connection with Juventus eventually became one of the biggest factors in his decision.
“As far as I was concerned, the idea of leaving Juventus made my heart ache,” Bonucci said. “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.”
Bonucci’s decision was also influenced by a serious family situation. His two-year-old son Matteo had been diagnosed with a serious illness at the time, making the prospect of moving abroad even more difficult. Following the European Championship, Bonucci held talks with Juventus and ultimately decided to remain in Turin. The club also made it clear that they did not intend to sell him, even if a major offer arrived from Manchester City.
“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,” he added.
Bonucci acknowledged that working with Guardiola could have provided him with another level of tactical and technical development, but his circumstances ultimately made staying at Juventus the natural choice. “I would have had even greater experience, technically and tactically,” he said of the possibility of working with Guardiola.
Bonucci went on to remain an important part of Juventus’ defence for several years, winning multiple Serie A titles and cementing his legacy as one of the finest defenders of his generation. He eventually retired from professional football in 2024, leaving behind a career that included nine league titles, a European Championship triumph with Italy in 2020, and a reputation as one of the best ball-playing centre-backs of his era.
His revelation offers a fascinating insight into the decision-making process of a top-level footballer and the factors that can influence a career-defining choice. While the allure of playing for Guardiola at Manchester City was strong, Bonucci’s heart remained in Turin, and his family circumstances made the decision to stay an easy one in the end. For Manchester City, the failure to sign Bonucci was a setback, but Guardiola went on to build one of the most dominant teams in Premier League history, while Bonucci continued to excel at Juventus, proving that sometimes the best decisions are made with the heart rather than the head.
