Milan: Maldini hails Bonucci capture
AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini has welcomed the audacious signing of Leonardo Bonucci from Juventus and hopes the Rossoneri are now equipped to return to the Champions League.
Milan’s squad has been comprehensively overhauled in the off-season, Italy international Bonucci joined by the likes of Franck Kessie, Lucas Biglia and Andre Silva in moving to San Siro.
One of the best defenders in the history of the game, Maldini is certainly qualified to assess the merits of Milan’s marquee signing and the 49-year-old, who hung up his boots in 2009, is a fan of his Azzurri successor. It’s certainly difficult to find good centre-backs and Bonucci’s one of the best,” he said. Bonucci’s certainly an excellent buy.
It seems a bit early for Milan to go for the Scudetto, but they’ll fight for a place in the Champions League.
According to Maldini, the full impact of Bonucci’s departure from Juve will not be known until the end of next month and may depend on the Scudetto holders’ own recruitment activity.
First of all, we have to say the transfer window is still open and that we have to wait until it’s closed before we can pass judgement on any team,” he said. But Juve’s strength is their group, which has been in place for several years now. Bernardeschi undergoes Juve medical
Fiorentina winger Federico Bernardeschi has attended a medical at Juventus ahead of a proposed transfer to the Serie A champions.
Juve are expected to pay €40million for the Italy international, whose exit from Stadio Artemio Franchi had appeared likely as speculation over his future intensified.
The 23-year-old pulled out of a Fiorentina training camp last week, complaining of what the club called “acute gastroenteritis”.
And La Viola’s sporting director Pantaleo Corvino confirmed earlier this month that Bernardeschi had turned down their offer of a new, improved contract.
The forward, who scored 11 goals in Serie A last season and had previously been linked with Inter, Manchester United and Chelsea, will add to coach Massimiliano Allegri’s attacking options after the loan signing of Douglas Costa from Bayern Munich.
Juve have also brought in Juan Cuadrado and Medhi Benatia on a permanent basis after successful loans, while goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and full-back Mattia De Sciglio have arrived from Arsenal and AC Milan respectively.
