Juventus Target Jhon Lucumí: Defender's Choice for Serie A
Juventus have moved to the front of the queue for Jhon Lucumí, winning the defender’s approval and leaving only Bologna’s price tag between them and their next starting centre-back.
The Colombian has given the Bianconeri his word, agreeing in principle to a five-year contract worth €2.5 million net per season plus bonuses. He did so knowing he could earn significantly more elsewhere. Nottingham Forest were ready to push his salary up by around €1 million a year, while Chelsea and Manchester United tested the ground with initial enquiries from England.
He still chose Juventus.
For Lucumí, the equation was simple: a bigger stage, European football, and the chance to stay in Serie A. The pull of a club that expects to compete for trophies every season outweighed the extra money on offer from mid-table security in the Premier League.
Spalletti’s defensive priority
Inside Juventus, the push for Lucumí has a clear author. Luciano Spalletti identified the Bologna defender as a priority after his commanding World Cup performances, when he helped shut down some of the game’s biggest names, including Cristiano Ronaldo. Those displays convinced Spalletti he was looking at a defender ready to anchor a back line at the highest level.
Juventus moved decisively. Contacts with Lucumí’s camp progressed quickly, the player responded to the club’s determination, and an agreement on personal terms followed. The message from the defender’s side is clear: he wants black and white.
Now the real negotiation begins.
Bologna hold the cards – for now
Bologna know exactly what they have. Lucumí has grown into the leader of their defence, and they are not inclined to let him go cheaply. With his €28 million release clause expiring in mid-July, the Rossoblù have set their internal valuation at a minimum of €25 million.
That figure is the final hurdle for Juventus.
The clock, though, is ticking for Bologna. Lucumí’s contract has entered its final 10 months. Push the price too hard, and they risk watching their defensive lynchpin walk away for nothing next summer. Accept too little, and they weaken a side that has built its recent rise on defensive solidity.
This is the tension that will define the next phase of talks. Juventus know the player has chosen them. Bologna know this is likely their last chance at a significant fee. Somewhere between those two positions lies the number that will decide whether Lucumí walks out at the Allianz Stadium as Spalletti’s new defensive reference – or spends one more season in Emilia-Romagna with his future already written.
