It’s no secret that Juventus needs upgrades all along the roster this year, but one of the places they seem to be focusing on is center-back.
Juve have been linked to several center-backs as transfer season begins, including former academy prospect Tarek Muharemovic, but a name that’s also come into focus is Bologna’s Jhon Lucumí. Unfortunately, the Colombia international is starting to attract the attention of other teams as well.
Lucumí‘s profile has risen over his last few years at Bologna. He has been
durable, playing in 123 Serie A games since arriving in Emilia-Romagna from Genk in 2023. He’s also played in 17 European contests over the last two years. He’s spent the last few years as a constant irritant for Juventus, being a particular thorn in the side of Dusan Vlahovic.
He’s turned even more heads at the World Cup, where his Colombia side was just eliminated by Switzerland on penalties on Tuesday. That, according to longtime transfer pundit Alfredo Pedulla, has attracted the attention of more clubs, including reigning champions (barf) Inter, who are in need of reinforcement in the back after the club allowed aging stalwarts Francesco Acerbi and Stefan De Vrij leave at the end of their contracts.
Usually, a player coming off a solid World Cup is liable to start a bidding war. Given Juve’s financial situation, the presence of teams like Inter, Besiktas, and especially a Premier League side like Bournemouth would be an awful situation. But Lucumí is an exception. He’s heading into the last year of his contract and his contract carries a €28 million release clause, so the playing field, at least from a transfer fee perspective, is far more level than usual.
Of course, other teams chasing Lucumí could still outbid Juve when it comes to salary (especially Prem clubs) and the lack of the Champions League is another strike against them. But in a situation like this, it’s often down to just how convincing a case a club makes to a player, so if Juve woo the 28-year-old in the right way, they could still come away with their prize.
There’s going to be more to this chase as the summer goes on, but with Colombia out of the World Cup and the release clause hamstringing Bologna’s bargaining power, a resolution could come soon. Watch this space.
