Reports: PSG set to battle Manchester United for Milan defender
What's the rumour?
Paris Saint-Germain has already formally completed moves for two players this month - Kylian Mbappé's loan deal from Monaco was made permanent, while Juventus' goalkeeping legend Gianluigi Buffon arrived free. However, they're eager to continue making quality additions to their squad ahead of the new campaign.
AC Milan centre-back Leonardo Bonucci, 31, has been attracting interest from a handful of top European sides over the past few months. Now though, latest reports from Calciomercato (via Sky Italia) suggest PSG are now prepared to battle Manchester United for the Italian's signature - having made clear his intention to leave this summer.
In case you didn't know...
Bonucci previously surprised many by leaving Juventus for rivals Milan in a €42m deal just last July. It's almost a year to the day where the defender signed a five-year contract with the Rossoneri, reportedly becoming Serie A's best-paid player in the process.
He was said to have had some issues with manager Massimiliano Allegri before this, which was a factor in helping him decide against extending his stay in Turin - after six successive title-winning seasons there.
The heart of the matter
Despite plenty of praise that summer for Milan's transfer business, where they had spent significant sums elsewhere to improve their squad, the team collectively struggled. Bonucci was under-performing, particularly in the first few months of the league campaign and critics suggested that Juventus' formation helped to hide the Italian's defensive weaknesses.
They eventually finished sixth, confirming a Europa League group stage place - though consistency during that early spell before Christmas would have helped propel them into the Champions League spots.
It would not have mattered though, anyway. The club was banned from featuring in UEFA competition ahead of the upcoming campaign, as they were said to have breached Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules after overspending. Bonucci made 51 appearances across all competitions for Milan last season.
Rumour probability: 6/10
According to other reports in Italy this week, Milan has made Bonucci available - at the right price - as they feel unable to afford his high wages anymore given their financial situation.
The reported asking price is believed to be in the region of €35-40m (£31-35.5m), which is a similar amount that Milan paid for his services twelve months ago. PSG and United can both offer him the prospect of Champions League football next term, so it may come down to who will offer the more enticing deal out of the pair.
PSG currently have three senior center-backs: captain Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and World Cup winner Presnel Kimpembe. The latter pair is still under 25-years-old, while Silva turns 34 in September. Bonucci only turned 31 in May and has a few years left at the top of his game, though he'll weigh up his options wisely.
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What's next?
PSG can and likely will make an official bid when they feel is necessary, over the coming days. They will be keen to try and usurp Manchester United in the running for Bonucci's signature, so need to offer certain assurances with regards to playing time if they are to succeed.