Manchester City transfer news: Chelsea target Leonardo Bonucci called club in desperate plea to play for Pep Guardiola

Ferran Soriano made the claims to Barcelona radio station

Antonio Conte knows Bonucci well from his time with Italy and Juventus (Getty Images)

Chelsea target Leonardo Bonucci was so desperate to play for Pep Guardiola that he called Manchester City about a possible transfer in the summer, according to the club’s chief executive.

Bonucci had been a target for Chelsea after Euro 2016 as former Italy and Juventus manager Antonio Conte wanted to bring his centre back for the national team with him to Stamford Bridge.

Guardiola insisted the only players he called this summer were Ilkay Gundogan and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, when asked him he’d tried to persuade Lionel Messi to join him at the Etihad.

However, City chief executive Ferran Soriano claimed that it was Bonucci, and not Guardiola, who initiated discussions about a potential move.

"At the moment there are a lot of players that want to play under Pep," Soriano revealed to Barcelona-based radio station RAC1.

"The Italian central defender [Leo] Bonucci wants to play for him and he called us.

"I called the Juventus sporting director and he told me they didn't want to sell. There ended the story!"

(Getty Images (Getty Images)

When discussing Bravo’s switch from the Nou Camp to the Etihad earlier in the week, Guardiola suggested it was Marc Andre Ter Stegan who he initially wanted to replace Joe Hart with.

But Soriano cleared up those comments and said City were happy to take either of the Barca goalkeepers.

"It was brought to our attention that both want to play every game and weren't happy with the situation,” he added.

"From there we talked with Barca and we asked if they wanted to sell one. Bravo ended up coming."