Manchester City news: Pep Guardiola considers improved £51m bid for Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci

The club had an intial £38.4 offer for the experienced centre-back rejected

Leonardo Bonucci celebrates for Italy (Getty)

Manchester City are considering making an improved £51m offer for Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci after an initial £38.4m offer was rejected by the Italian side.

City manager Pep is a fan of the 29-year-old and is keen to bring in the Juventus defender in light of the club’s current defensive issues.

Vincent Kompany’s injury woes kept him out of the side for much of the past season while Eliaquiam Mangala failed to find any consistency throughout the year.

And with Martin Demichelis no longer at the club, City are desperately looking to reinforce their backline.

Bonucci has emerged as a prime target and last February was described by Guardiola as “one of my favourite ever players”.

According to the Guardian, Guardiola views the defender as an automatic first choice should he be signed.

Italian newspaper Tuttosport claimed that Guardiola had initially failed in his first approach for Bonucci. According to their report, City offered the player a £6-a-season contract to quit Turin for the Etihad.

Bonucci in action for Juventus (Getty)

But the centre-back is believed to be happy in Serie A, according to the Daily Express, and City face a challenge to prise the defender away from Juventus.

It seems likely that City will step up their efforts for Bonucci though. The Guardian has reported that the club are considering making a new £51m offer which the Italians may find too difficult to reject.

The Italian has won 62 caps for Italy, five Serie A titles, two Coppa Italia medals and made an appearance in the 2015 Champions League final against Barcelona.