When it became clear last March that Antonio Conte might be taking over as Chelsea manager this season, Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci was asked if he’d be following the man who made him the central prong of world football’s most impenetrable portcullis to Stamford Bridge. “The most I’ve followed him to is a coffee,” said Bonucci. “I don’t know what the boss will do, but I’ve signed a renewal with Juventus and I’m honestly only thinking about the Bianconeri.”
Almost as good in attack as he is defence (who can forget this sweet heat-seeking assist for Emanuele Giaccherini at Euro 2016?), Bonucci would later admit his head was turned by overtures from his ardent admirer, the new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola earlier this summer, but decided to remain at Juventus because “I listened to my heart”. The 29-year-old’s ticker is likely to be thumping a little louder and more quickly this morning when its owner becomes aware of speculation that Chelsea are readying a £60m bid for him in the January transfer window. The Telegraph’s man with the inside line to Stamford Bridge reports that Roman Abramovich is ready to smash the £50m world record transfer for a defender in order to shore up a defence that, so far this season, has been creakier than the front door of a Gothic country house in a Hammer Horror movie.
With both Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain likely to try and muscle in on any Chelsea attempt to convince Juventus to sell, Burnley’s Michael Keane remains on Chelsea’s radar, while the London club also continue to be linked with Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, Atlético Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, Real Madrid’s Álvaro Morata, Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the moon in a pail of water. Interestingly, or not depending on your point of view, Napoli chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis has revealed that he rejected a £50m offer from Chelsea for his star defender Kalidou Koulibaly shortly before the summer transfer window closed. Mick Jagger was right: you can’t always get what you want.
The clock is ticking on Fernandinho’s contract with Manchester City, which means the Brazilian defender will be allowed to court foreign suitors from January. The Mirror report that Pep Guardiola is eager to keep him at the Etihad Stadium, a state of affairs which gives the 32-year-old Brazilian the whip-hand when it comes to negotiating a new deal to help top up his pension pot.
Real Madrid midfielder Isco can look forward to life as the subject of a tedious tug-of-love between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, while Per Mertesacker is getting the come-on from his first love and former Bundesliga flame Hannover, who currently sit second in the German second division. Meanwhile at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace are ready to ramp up their interest in Santos midfielder Lucas Lima following their failure to sign him during the summer, while in slightly less glamorous news, Bolton Wanderers are ready to give free agent Leon Osman a contract to end the football purgatory the midfielder has endured since being released by Everton at the end of last season.
