Man City prepare €60m Bonucci bid

Manchester City could be about to launch a €60 million offer for Leonardo Bonucci, according to reports.

The Daily Mail claim that new City manager Pep Guardiola has identified the Italian defender as the man to build his new back four around.

It is thought that City have already seen a €45 million bid for Bonucci rejected by Juventus, who remain clear in their stance that their key man will not be sold.

But a potential €60 million offer, which would be a world record fee paid for a defender, could yet test the Old Lady's resolve.

The Daily Mirror claims that, if Bonucci is to move this summer, he prefers a move to Chelsea, which would see him reunite with former Juve boss Antonio Conte.

Chelsea are also thought to be interested in Bonucci, but are said to be close to signing 25-year-old Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, having been put off by the potential fee required to sign Bonucci.

City hold a long-standing interest in Everton's 21-year-old English defender John Stones, and it is believed that Guardiola wants to pair the former Barnsley defender with Bonucci, viewing the 29-year-old Italian as the perfect man to tutor the young England international, who experienced some criticism for his performances last season.

The Citizens have already tied up deals for Ilkay Gundogan, Nolito and Alexandr Zinchenko so far this summer, and their big spending shows no sign of slowing down just yet.