Manchester City need to break record to land top transfer target

Manchester City will need to make Leonardo Bonucci the world’s most expensive defender if they are to land the Juventus star this summer, reports The Daily Telegraph.

Pep Guardiola failed in his attempts to lure Bonucci to the Premier League last season but is desperate to sign the Juventus defender having previously labelled him one of his favourite players.

Bonucci has been immense since Euro 2016 and is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Europe, but that will come at a huge cost to City if they are successful in signing the Italy international.

The 29-year-old only signed a new five-year deal with Juventus in December but would reportedly be open to leaving the Serie A giants if Max Allegri remains at the club after watching his relationship strain with the Juventus manager over the course of the season.

Bonucci played a pivotal part in Juventus’ Champions League quarter-final triumph over Barcelona in which they kept clean sheets in both legs to reaffirm his status as one of Europe’s best defenders.

Juventus understandably have no interest in selling one of their best players but will look to secure another record fee should Bonucci look to force a move away, 12 months after securing a world record sum for Paul Pogba from Manchester United.

It would mean City would have to pay in excess of the £50m Paris Saint-Germain shelled out to Chelsea for David Luiz in 2014, which would come as a surprise having baulked at that valuation last summer.

Since the start of last season, Bonucci has completed the most accurate long balls of all outfielders in Serie A (375).

For more stats on Leonardo Bonucci, click here to visit his WhoScored player page