Juventus: Leonardo Bonucci off the roster, new captain chosen

Juventus, Leonardo Bonucci off the roster

The news of the farewell between Juventus and Leonardo Bonucci had already been widely anticipated, but with just a few days to go before the departure for the American tour, more details emerge: according to reports in the ‘Gazzetta’, the defender met with managers Cristiano Giuntoli and Giovanni Manna on vacation, who confirmed his immediate exit from the roster and the impossibility of both training with the team and following it to the US. Also chosen is the next captain: he is Brazilian Danilo, at Juve from 2019.

No last-minute change of course, then: the Bianconeri club has decided to terminate with one year to go before the expiration of the contract the relationship with the 1987 class central, who had already slipped in Massimiliano Allegri’s hierarchies last season.

The only option to return to the game, also to try to convince coach Roberto Mancini to convene him for Euro 2024, is therefore to find an agreement for a transfer to another club: in recent days the name of Lazio has been mentioned, but the biancoceleste environment is evaluating alternatives in the same role. The player’s agent, Alessandro Lucci, is working to study a solution, giving Serie A top priority.

Bonucci thus closes his Juventus experience that began in 2010, after his transfer from Bari, and was only interrupted in 2017/18, with the controversial year at AC Milan before returning to Continassa. With Juventus, Bonucci won 8 league titles, 4 Italian Cups and 5 Italian Super Cups. Thanks to his performances with the Juve jersey, he earned a permanent place on the national team, winning the 2020 European Championships (played in the summer of 2021), during which he was decisive thanks to scoring the 1-1 goal and taking one of the final penalties in the decisive match against England at Wembley.