Manchester City may have to pay a world record fee for a defender if they are to succeed in their efforts to sign Leonardo Bonucci this summer, with Juventus continuing to adopt a hard-line stance over the coveted Italy centre-half. City enquired about purchasing Bonucci last summer after failing to sign Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao only to be put off by Juventus’s £50 million valuation of a player who turns 30 a week on Monday.

Nonetheless, Bonucci remains Pep Guardiola’s priority defensive target as the manager bids to bolster his back line in what is expected to be a huge overhaul of City’s playing squad during the close season.