“I’m surprised, it seemed like a joke when the news came through,” Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero told Sky Italia. “It’s very surprising, I never thought anything like this would happen.”
When the news broke that Bianconeri defender Leonardo Bonucci was rumoured to be joining AC Milan, it seemed totally unbelievable even to the most ardent of Serie A viewers. Surely this was a heavily inflated rumour, or an attempt by the player to secure an improved deal with his current side? But it was not so, as the player given the moniker of best defender in the world was filmed leaving for Casa Milan on Friday morning, expected to join for just €40m plus bonuses.
After all, this was the man who had rejected Manchester City last summer, so why would he be opting to leave Juventus – a team that had won a record-breaking sixth consecutive Scudetto and had reached the Champions League final last season – for team that are just about to embark on the Europa League preliminary qualifying rounds?
The answer to this question clearly lies deeper than matters on the pitch and starts with an unknown but serious illness to Bonucci’s son Matteo. “Manchester City? Obviously, we talked about it between us,” his wife Martina Maccari told Tuttosport back in March. “The “go or not go” discussion lasted a day, and unfortunately after that we had much more serious thoughts than [Pep] Guardiola. Matteo was sick, it changed our lives.”
Clearly, this proud family man wanted to stay put last summer in order to achieve continuity with doctors over his son’s progress, but it was after his decision not to move to Manchester that problems with the Old Lady began to surface. After a public outburst towards Coach Massimiliano Allegri during February’s league match with Palermo, the boss took the tough stance to exclude him from the squad completely, a decision that was confirmed in his pre-match press conference.
“Tomorrow Bonucci will be in the stands,” Allegri told reporters. “That doesn’t mean it has to be made into a big deal. Out of respect for the club, the team and the fans, this was the right decision.The case is closed. Leo understood the situation, as an intelligent lad and important player for Juventus. It’s a moment that will be useful for the future.”
With reports of another confrontation at half-time during the Champions League final, perhaps the case wasn’t fully closed after all, and is really the only reason that can truly explain this inexplicable move. “His argument with Allegri? I was sorry to see him in the stands, sitting on a stool, because I know how keen he is to play,” Bonucci’s wife Martina continued, perhaps hinting the disappointment that the player himself was unable to express at the time.
Of course, Milan are ambitious and have invested greatly during the transfer window, but this alone does not warrant 30-year-old Bonucci breaking up the legendary BBC trio that he has become so synonymous with.
“I am pleased and proud to continue our victorious, successful journey until 2021,” Bonucci told the Juventus website on signing a new contract back in December. “I obviously have a lot of goals, clearly to become even more of a legend at this club, to improve personally and maintain the passion I have within me. I feel an important part of one big family.”
This passion that was so clearly on display every time he took to the field for the Bianconeri has seemingly bubbled over and caused an internal row that is now impossible to fix. It truly has been a shocking transfer window in Serie A, with Fiorentina midfielder Borja Valero – another Bandiera or icon of his side – having been forced to move on after a terminal rift with the sporting director.
Now at Inter, the Spaniard has been free to speak about what happened with the club and the city he cared for so much, and it will be interesting to note what Bonucci – and indeed Juventus themselves – have to say once the dust has settled from this most shocking of transfers.
In more general terms, the fallout from this move could be huge. Along with their many other impressive signings this season, the Rossoneri have made huge steps in closing the gap towards the other top sides on the Peninsula as well as Juventus themselves.
The negotiating position of Milan was strong in terms of their geographical location, as Bonucci will be located just 85 miles from his former base in Turin. This partially explains why he was ready to take a step down with his move, as he will still be able to access the same hospital should his son require further treatment.
But after having turned down a much more financially lucrative move to the Premier League last summer and having signed a new contract the following December, it is clear that something big must have happened between then and now to cause this unthinkable transfer. Time will surely reveal some details of what happened, but for now Milan Coach Vincenzo Montella won’t be able to believe his luck.
