Juventus man Leonardo Bonucci.
The Italian defender had been heavily linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium recently after his agent flew to England, and Pep Guardiola and City were prepared to splash the cash on the 29-year-old with a seemingly blank cheque at their disposal.
New reports from The Guardian suggest, however, that they are now interested in acquiring the services of Everton defender John Stones, considered to be one of the most promising defenders in the Premier League, for €40 million.
That value is the minimum amount put forward by Stones’ current employers, and is €20m less than what the Citizens had been prepared to pay for Bonucci, not including his €8m-per-season four-year contract.
As a response to their attempts to secure the Bianconeri man’s signature, Juventus immediately started preparing a new contract for one of their most key men.
With new interests in fellow English squads, it seems that Manchester City have accepted the Serie A champions’ stubbornness.
