In recent days, Juventus have bluntly told Leonardo Bonucci that he’s no longer part of the technical project.
The aging defender has been on a rapid decline in recent years and his manager Max Allegri is no longer willing to rely on his services.
Therefore, club directors Cristiano Giuntoli and Giovanni Manna will be entrusted with the task of finding a replacement for the fallen captain.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via JuventusNews24, the Bianconeri have identified two profiles for the job.
The first name on the list is Southampton defender Armel Bella-Kotchap. The 21-year-old is a German international player who has two caps with the senior national team.
After rising through the ranks of Bochum, he joined the Saints last summer for 11 million euros. Despite the club’s relegation to the English Championship, he still displayed promising signs.
The youngster made 24 Premier League appearances last season, contributing with two assists.
The other profile named in the report is Konstantinos Mavropanos. The 25-year-old is a Greek international player who currently plays for Stuttgart.
He had a stint with Arsenal earlier in his career but couldn’t find enough space in North London. He has been developing his skills at Stuttgart since 2020 and has a contract until 2025.
Moreover, the source claims that Bonucci may not be the lone Juventus defender to leave this summer.
The report claims the management will also try to sell Alex Sandro and Daniele Rugani, while Gleison Bremer could also leave if the club were to receive an enticing offer.
