Chelsea are ready to fight Arsenal for the signing of Leonardo Bonucci from AC Milan, according to Don Balon.
Bonucci is said to be Arsenal’s defensive transfer target this January, with the Gunners’ captain Per Mertesacker retiring at the end of this current campaign, while Laurent Koscielny is said to be keen on a move back to Lorient, where he signed from to join Arsenal in 2010.
However, with David Luiz looking like he is set to leave Stamford Bridge, and Antonio Conte wanting a reunion with Bonucci, whom he managed while at Juventus, Chelsea are looking to swoop in on the deal.
Bonucci spent seven seasons at Juventus before moving to the San Siro last summer, where he has almost been ever-present for the Rossoneri. Antonio Conte is a huge fan of the defender who managed at Juventus and later with the Italian national side.
AC Milan currently sit eleventh in the Serie A table after a disappointing first half of the season but still remain just five points off the European spots.
Bonucci is now 30 but is still playing at a high-level for Milan, as he has done for the last number of seasons, and is regarded as one of the best centre-backs in world football, which is why clubs such as Chelsea and Arsenal are interested.
However, they are not alone as Real Madrid are keen on bringing him to Spain to play alongside the defence of Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos and Nacho.
So he is still regarded as a world-class centre-back, but this transfer window could see him move anywhere. He may be walking out the Stamford Bridge tunnel by the end of the month.
