For days, Leonardo Bonucci has been linked with a move back to Italy. However, a transfer to AS Roma is unlikely to materialize
As the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport reports, Leonardo Bonucci will not be moving to Roma. The player was unable to agree a transfer with the Giallorossi, although an agreement was very close according to Italian media. There is some talk of a “photo finish”, with the European champion reportedly just waiting for the decisive phone call during his vacation to travel to sign the contract.
Bonucci was reportedly even prepared to waive his December salary at Union to speed up the transfer
Roma fans had positioned themselves against a signing
The fact that the deal fell through after all was also due to protests from Roma fans. They had clearly positioned themselves against signing the 36-year-old. The reason: Bonucci played for league rivals Juventus for years. However, Italian media also reported that those in charge of José Mourinho’s side, currently 6th in the Serie A table, had doubts as to whether Bonucci could be a long-term addition.
However, the capital team are still reliant on a short-term solution. There is a need in defense, as ex-Frankfurt player Evan Ndicka will take part in the Africa Cup and Chris Smalling and Marash Kumbulla are injured. Bonucci will probably not be the solution, however, unless there is an unexpected turnaround
It remains to be seen what will happen with the defender, who is keen to move on. What is clear is that Bonucci would like to return to Italy after just four months in Berlin, if only to be close to his family, who did not follow him to Germany and instead stayed in his home country.
The intermezzo in Germany, which is probably coming to an end, has not gone as well as Bonucci and his club had hoped anyway: the Köpenickers were eliminated from the Champions League and are stuck in the relegation battle in the Bundesliga. Bonucci only made ten competitive appearances and also had to publicly defend himself against allegations that he had fallen out with former coach Urs Fischer. In seven Bundesliga games, he has achieved a poor average grade of 4.20.
