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Bonucci rejected Man Utd for Juventus return

Cape Town - Leonardo Bonucci has revealed he turned down Manchester United in the summer to return "home" to Juventus.

The Italy international stopper made a controversial switch to AC Milan before the 2017/18 season, but returned to Turin exactly a year later after a poor season at the San Siro.

Speaking ahead of the Old Lady's Tuesday Champions League clash with the Red Devils, the 31-year old has told how he rejected an approach from both Jose Mourinho's side and Manchester City to go back to Juve.

Asked whether he had rejected an offer from United, Bonucci replied: "Yes."

"The decision was not made until June but it's true that I had this feeling inside me (to go back to Turin).

"So, when my agent told me there was a tangible opportunity to go back I just stopped listening to anyone telling me what to do, I stopped listening to any kind of suggestion and I just said 'okay, let's go home'.

"There have been some possibilities both with Manchester City and with Manchester United. With Manchester City when I received that offer (in 2016) I actually talked to the club, I talked to Juventus and we decided that it was good for me to stay and to keep on winning with Juventus.

"And this year when I was told there was a possibility to go back home, to come back to Juventus I just stopped listening to any other offers and I decided to come back here.

"Here, I really do my best, I just push myself to the maximum and that's something at Milan I really didn't manage, I didn't succeed to achieve and that was probably because in my heart I had already made the decision that I wanted to go back home."

Juventus top Group H with maximum points from two games while United are in second place with four points.

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