Leonardo Bonucci was crossing his fingers while awaiting a transfer to Roma, but his hopes have come crashing down.
It has been a year to forget for the 36-year-old. He spent his summer as an exile at Juventus. He was pushed towards accepting Union Berlin’s offer, only to become a benchwarmer in the German capital.
The Euro 2020 hero had been hoping to start 2024 as a Roma player under the guidance of Jose Mourinho who has been his main sponsor in the Eternal City.
Bonucci is currently spending his vacation with his family in Italy, and was waiting for a call from Trigoria to take a flight to Rome.
He was even willing to give up his December salary to speed up the operation. The centre-back was set to sign a short-term loan deal with the Giallorossi while maintaining more or less the same salary.
However, this potential transfer has now collapsed according to emerging reports.
This morning, Il Corriere dello Sport (via JuventusNew24) reveals the reasons behind Roma’s change of mind.
The Roman newspaper claims that a social media backlash may have played an important role, prompting the management to reconsider the decision.
However, the source believes that the fans’ opinion wouldn’t have been sufficient on its own.
Instead, the newspaper suggests that the club’s American owners (The Friedkin Group) had been hesitant in the first place, as they weren’t keen to invest in a player who will turn 37 this season, albeit on a short-term deal.
