Italian Agent Giocondo Martorelli: “Piero Ausilio Was Close To Signing Giacomo Bonaventura To Inter In 2014 But Walter Mazzarri Blew Up The Deal”

Italian agent Gicondo Martorelli has revealed the backstory of current Fiorentina midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura’s move to AC Milan from Atalanta over Inter and Hellas Verona during the summer transfer window of 2014.

Speaking to the Twitch channel if MilanNews.net, via FCInterNews, Martorelli explained that Nerazzurri Sporting Director Piero Ausilio had been keen to sign Bonaventura when a deal with Verona collapsed, but that then-coach Walter Mazzarri did not want to bring another midfielder in.

Bonaventura joined Milan in the summer of 2014, making almost two hundred appearances for the Rossoneri during his six seasons in Milan.

The midfielder made the switch to Fiorentina in the summer of 2020, bringing his time at Milan to an end.

Bonaventura had been close to making the switch to Verona in 2014, but the deal fell through, and Milan were the team to swoop and sign him.

However, as Martorelli has revealed, Inter had also had an interest in signing him before their city rivals eventually got a deal done.

“It was the biggest story of the final hours of the transfer window,” Martorelli said of Bonaventura’s future in 2014.

“In the afternoon there was even a meeting with Verona, but in the end Atalanta declined.

“In the late afternoon, Ausilio called me and told me they wanted to close a deal for Bonaventura,” he continued.

“We were meeting with the Percassi family and Pierpaolo Marino, everything seemed already done, everything was in order.”

“We talked about the fee and everything.”

“At 8:00 pm, Ausilio called me again and explained to me that Mazzarri didn’t really agree with adding another player to the squad,” Martorelli continued.

“Guarin was supposed to leave but the deal fell through.”

“Mazzarri didn’t want to add more players in the squad who could create more selection dilemmas for him.”

The agent noted that “At that point Galliani stepped in with desire and decisiveness, he told us to immediately come to their headquarters and that they would wrap up the signing right away.”

“Around 9:oo pm we went to the Milan headquarters with Percassi, Marino, and Bonaventura,” he went on.

“We were received very well, they made us feel right at home.”

“We reached agreement easily,” he continued.

“For a young man of that age, joining such a big and prestigious club was an extraordinary opportunity, he was fulfilling a dream.”