Bonucci joined AC after ‘bond had faded’ with Juve

LEONARDO BONUCCI (pix) has revealed the reason behind his shock move to AC Milan was because his “bond had faded” with Juventus after seven years at the club.

The 30-year-old, who made 227 appearances for Juve since joining from Bari in 2010, moved to big-spending Milan for a reported £35m (RM195m) after losing a second Champions League final in three seasons.

The Italian, who is widely considered one of the best centrebacks in the world had become a cult figure in Turin and was linked with moves to the Premier League last summer.

And he revealed that while his bond to the club was no longer as strong as it was, he admitted the feeling from Juventus was mutual.

“When you are part of a group for seven years, you leave something – I hope – beautiful inside each of your former teammates. I had intense seven years with Juventus, in which I gave so much to them and vice versa,” he told Milan TV.

“In the last part of the last season, this bond had faded a bit on both sides and thus it was decided for us to go our separate ways. I was lucky enough to have this offer from Milan, which intensified quickly. “From now on, I’ll think only of Milan.” He also revealed that he aspired to place for the San Siro side in order to follow in the footsteps of one of his boyhood heroes, Alessandro Nesta.

He added: “The players who played for Milan when I was a child are legends for what they’ve won and given to football. Then, when I got bigger, Nesta became my idol and I went on to become a defender.”

Meanwhile, Juventus have signed promising Fiorentina forward Federico Bernardeschi on a five-year deal for €40million (RM200m), the Italian champions announced yesterday.

The 23-year-old joins Juventus having spent three years in Florence, scoring 11 goals in the last Serie A season, the youngest player to do so, and collecting nine caps for Italy.

Bernardeschi, a versatile forward, was described by Juventus on their website (www.juventus.com) as one of Europe’s “most promising attacking talents”.

“A new era is about to begin in Turin and Federico Bernardeschi is set to be a key part of it,” the statement said.

He is the most expensive transfer for Massimiliano Allegri’s side in the close season transfer window, as they look to build a side capable of winning a record seventh successive league title. – Express Newspapers