Gianluigi Buffon was the only thing keeping Leonardo Bonucci at Juventus over the last few months ahead of his Milan move, claim reports.
The defender completed his €42m transfer to San Siro on Friday and is completing his final medical tests this morning.
It all seemed to take place in the space of 48 hours, but murmurs in the Italian media suggest the negotiations have been going on for two weeks.
The lack of response to Bonucci’s departure after seven years also highlighted the deep tension between the defender and his teammates.
Gianluigi Buffon was the only thing keeping Leonardo Bonucci at Juventus over the last few months ahead of his Milan move, claim reports.
The defender completed his €42m transfer to San Siro on Friday and is completing his final medical tests this morning.
It all seemed to take place in the space of 48 hours, but murmurs in the Italian media suggest the negotiations have been going on for two weeks.
The lack of response to Bonucci’s departure after seven years also highlighted the deep tension between the defender and his teammates.
Only one player openly saluted him on social media and it was Buffon.
“Teammates and travelling companions,” wrote the goalkeeper. “We travelled a piece of the same path together. A winning path.
“I wish you the best. But I will miss you…”
Bonucci replied, his only comment so far via social media.
“I will miss you too. Thank you for the victories we shared, the battles won and even those lost. We’ll see each other with the Nazionale.”
The centre-back bought a full-page ad in La Gazzetta dello Sport, in which he thanked the Club, fans, captain and teammates, but pointedly did not mention Coach Max Allegri.
According to reports, the infamous clash Bonucci had with Allegri during the Palermo game in February and his exclusion from the following Champions League match with Porto was a wound that never healed.
It’s suggested that only the intervention of Buffon managed to keep the peace to the end of the season, but that Bonucci wanted a way out.
Others maintain it was Allegri who gave a ‘me or him’ ultimatum to the club.
There are even reports today that Juventus President Andrea Agnelli asked Buffon for the all-clear before signing off on Bonucci's sale.