Leonardo Bonucci makes for good rumours but not good transfer business at Chelsea
By Travis Tyler
Chelsea’s summer transfer target Leonardo Bonucci is back in the transfer rumor mill. He may be worth a world-record transfer fee, but not to Chelsea.
Papers love a good clash between a manager and a player. It allows plenty of reading between the lines, plenty of igniting old and new rumors. The latest fight is between Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri and Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci.
The two exchanged strong words during a victory over Palermo. The fight apparently continued even after the match ended. It has now escalated to the point where Allegri has dropped Bonucci for Juventus’ Champion’s League clash with Porto.
The Independent reports that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is willing to pay a world-record transfer fee to acquire Leonardo Bonucci. Manchester City are also reported to be interested. Both clubs sought the Italian’s services last summer. Bonucci was keen to stay at Juventus as the team continued to make strides towards the top of world football. This row, however, has caused both Chelsea and City to consider Bonucci a prime target once more.
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With Juventus changing shape and making big money transfers to become one of the elite clubs, Bonucci will surely find himself on the outs after this fight. Clearly something is going on between him and the manager, and one must give. If Allegri stays at Juventus for next season, Bonucci will have to make way.
Chelsea and City both have clear reasons for wanting Bonucci. Besides being one of the best defenders in the world, he is also a known leader that can push a team to new heights. Conte knows him well from his time at Juventus and at the Italian national team. Manchester City, as always, are looking for better defenders to shore up one of their most glaring weaknesses.
Last summer, a move for Bonucci made sense. Chelsea needed new leaders at the club. They also had a need for new defenders, with John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic having ever dwindling capabilities. But then Chelsea bought David Luiz on deadline day. That alone should firmly put the Bonucci links on ice.
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Next season, Chelsea will have a need for more players of higher quality to compete on the additional front of Champion’s League. But numbers will also be an issue if Bonucci joins. Next season Chelsea will have Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kurt Zouma, Nathan Ake, and Andres Christensen as their options for center back.
Adding Leonardo Bonucci into the fray would cause one of the defenders listed to go elsewhere. Gary Cahill will be extremely difficult to move. David Luiz and Azpilicueta will not be going anywhere.
That – sadly – leaves the youth. Kurt Zouma, Nathan Ake, and Andreas Christensen are all capable of playing for Chelsea now. Letting any of them go would be extremely foolish of Chelsea. As good as Bonucci is, he is not worth alienating what could be the strongest defensive trio for the near- to mid-future.
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Chelsea and Manchester City both being re-linked is the path of least resistance for this rumor. But Chelsea are not in a place where they need a 29-year-old defender added to the ranks. Unless one of the senior defenders moves on, Chelsea simply have no pressing need for Leonardo Bonucci.