Unlike the updated version we are currently witnessing, Leonardo Bonucci’s form during his first season in black and white was overwhelmingly poor, just like the rest of the squad. The Bianconeri ended the 2010/2011 season in 7th place, which resulted in the sacking of Luigi Del Neri and the hiring of former Juventus captain Antonio Conte.
With Conte’s tactical shift to 3-5-2 being the foundation of their sheer dominance over Serie A after a tumultuous period, the Italian native described his new coach as “a godsend. We were real soldiers in his service.”
Once an Inter reject, Bonucci became the most expensive capture in the summer of 2010 for Juventus, paying Bari €15.5 million to sign him just one season before the arrival of Conte.
With Conte, Bonucci transformed from someone error-prone, jeered by the fanbase of the grand Old Lady, to a vital member of the BBC defense, earning 11+ clean sheets in each of their last six seasons.
As demonstrated by his former Bari coach, Gian Piero Ventura, the 30-year-old centre-back had the character and mental strength to become something special in the world of football.
The evolution of Bonnie-Bauer was not only in his brilliance to track opponents, but his masterclass interceptions and his ability to play the ball from the back and build up toxic long balls to his teammates prepared him to become the perfect modern centre-back.
In the previous UEFA Euro 2016, as Italy’s starting XI was weaponless with a dull defensive midfield, Bonucci lofted a 40-meter- long ball to Giaccherini to bag the national team’s first goal in the competition and demonstrate that the relentless marker has the vision to become the new Mozart after Andrea Pirlo hung his boots.
“Here people describe me as a midfielder who is ‘borrowed’ by the defence,” Bonucci told Spanish newspaper El Pais. “I have always played that way and probably always will, although sometimes I think there can be too many horizontal passes.”
His amazing hard work in the competition was non-stop; with five clearances, four interceptions, and 90.3% passing accuracy, he was able to lead the Azzurri to their first win over Spain in 28 years.
With the appointment of Massimiliano Allegri, there was constant swapping in the formation between a back three and a back four, which served the team good, winning the domestic double three times in a row and reaching the Champions League twice in three years. Before Il Mister, last time Juventus reached that final was 2002/03.
Bonucci pops up sensational finishes, such as sparkling skills in his solo goal against Genoa this season, and crucial timing goals like his thunderbolt against Sevilla in the 87th minute this season and his volley against Roma in the 86th minute back in 2014.
Just last year, Pep Guardiola said Bonucci is one of his all-time favorite players, and with the Spanish coach ending the season empty-handed for the first time in his career, you can expect a phone call to the boy in Turin anytime soon.
According to squawka.com Bon-Bon has made 11 key passes to his teammates in Serie A this season, which is only one chance short of all three Manchester City center backs: John Stones (4), Nicolás Otamendi (5), and Vincenty Kompany (2).
Pep kicked Jo Hart out of the Citizens squad and re-configured his formation more than five times this season due to defensive errors – imagine how much he would pay for a defender who enjoys having the ball at his feet, with all the tricks and flicks to halt the opposition and revolutionize the build-up play.
Antonio Conte is yet another EPL coach who would be hoping to reunite with his favorite warrior, considering their five years together between the Bianconeri and the Azzurri.
Conte’s men will need to rotate between domestic and European competitions next season, and a central defender is crucially needed – especially with John Terry out of the picture. As much as David Luiz has grown this past season, whoscored.com shows Bonucci has averaged 7.9 long passes this campaign with Juventus while Luiz averaged only 4.8 long passes.
In fact, according squawka.com the Juventus defender is the player with the most successful long passes in Serie A and the third most in Europe’s top five leagues, following Dani Garcia and Toni Kroos from La Liga.
He has previously shown admiration to the most watched league in Europe: “I’m hot-headed, and I love the passion that exudes from their packed stands. It’s for that kind of thing that I’m the first on the training pitch and the last to return to the changing room.”
But as much as it fascinates him, Buffon and Chiellini think the veteran will not check out of the club before getting a third Champions League trophy to the J Museum.
At the age of 30 years-old Bonucci does not have a lot of years left under his belt, will he go for a new adventure in the most watched league in the world of football, or will he be wearing Juventus’ new branded jerseys next season?

written by Ramez Nathan