Even though Thiago Motta is gone, Juventus are still interested in the services of Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi.
The Bianconeri will be looking for defensive reinforcement in the summer, especially if they were to maintain the three-man backline currently adopted by Igor Tudor.
This would be the case if the Croatian were to be confirmed for next season, or even if one of Antonio Conte or Gian Piero Gasperini is appointed as the new manager.
The Bianconeri should regain the services of Gleison Bremer, while Pierre Kalulu will be purchased from Milan, but keeping Renato Veiga beyond his loan spell won’t be easy, as Chelsea are reportedly shooting high with their asking price.
Therefore, sources close to Juve FC can confirm that the Bianconeri are considering a move for Lucumi.
The 26-year-old is a Colombian defender who has been playing his football at Bologna since 2022. Last season, he rose to prominence under the guidance of Motta, and was one of the players who were tipped to follow the Italian Brazilian manager to Turin last summer, but the move never materialised.
Lucumi stayed at the Renato Dall’Ara, and still holds an automatic starting berth in Vincenzo Italiano’s system. This season, he has made 38 appearances in all competition, scoring a single and providing an assist in the process.
Our sources believe the Emilians are requesting €25 million to part ways with the Cali native whose contract will expire in 2026. The Rossoblu are also trying to convince him to pen a new deal which could strengthen their grasp on his future.
But with Juventus, Napoli, Roma and Inter are keeping tabs on the situation, Lucumi will likely decline the offer.
At this stage, the Bianconeri are in the process of evaluating the move from a financial perspective before making a concrete attempt to sign the defender.
It should be noted that Juventus and Bologna are embroiled in a direct battle for a Champions League spot, and they will clash heads in a crucial fixture next weekend.
