Juventus Nears Deal for Lucumi as Colombian Chooses Project Over Pay Rise
Juventus are closing on their next defensive pillar, and this time the pull of Turin has beaten the power of the Premier League wallet.
The Bianconeri have reached an agreement in principle with Bologna’s Jhon Lucumi over a summer move, a deal that edges them a step away from sealing one of Serie A’s most coveted centre-backs. The player is in. Now the clubs have to find a way to make the numbers match.
Lucumi picks Juventus over England – and over money
For months, Lucumi has kept Juventus at the top of his list. Chelsea asked the question. Manchester United sounded him out. Nottingham Forest went further, reportedly ready to put around €1m more net per year on the table.
He listened. Then he said no.
The Colombian international has instead accepted a five-year contract with Juventus worth around €2.5m per season plus bonuses, turning down the richer offer to chase a different kind of reward. European football, a bigger stage, the chance to stay in a league he knows and a country where he has grown – that combination proved stronger than the extra zero on the pay slip.
Inside Juventus, the decision is seen as a statement. A player in his prime, with Premier League interest and a higher salary elsewhere, choosing their sporting project. For a club rebuilding its identity and its squad, that matters.
World Cup platform, Juventus spotlight
Lucumi’s rise has not come out of nowhere, but the World Cup poured fuel on his reputation.
His commanding displays at the tournament turned heads across Europe. One game in particular stood out: a group-stage clash in which he effectively shut down Cristiano Ronaldo, keeping one of the game’s great finishers quiet on the biggest stage. Performances like that travel fast in boardrooms and on scouting reports.
They travelled all the way to Luciano Spalletti’s desk.
The Juventus head coach quickly pushed Lucumi near the top of his shortlist to reinforce a backline that needs both authority and mobility. Proven Serie A experience, international pedigree, and the temperament to handle high-pressure nights – Lucumi ticks the boxes Juventus have been trying to fill since their defensive core began to age and break up.
Bologna’s dilemma: cash in now or risk losing him for free
The road to the deal, though, still runs through Bologna’s offices.
The Rossoblu had shielded their defender with a €28m release clause, but that clause expired in mid-July. They now value him at a minimum of €25m. On paper, that looks like a clear price. In reality, the clock complicates everything.
Lucumi is entering the final ten months of his contract. Push too hard on the fee and Bologna risk watching him walk away for nothing next summer. Fold too easily and they sacrifice a major asset for less than they believe he is worth.
Juventus have already tested that balance. Their opening €17m bid was swiftly rejected, a reminder that Bologna do not intend to roll over just because the player has chosen Turin. The negotiation now sits in that familiar Italian grey zone: everyone knows a deal makes sense, nobody wants to be the first to blink.
Makeweight on the table as Juventus prepare new bid
Juventus are preparing a fresh offer designed to drag the talks out of stalemate. To close the gap, they are ready to include Juan Cabal as a partial makeweight in the operation, using Lucumi’s compatriot to sweeten the package.
It is the kind of move that often unlocks Serie A transfers: cash plus a player, value spread across the balance sheets, needs met on both sides. Bologna get a replacement option and money. Juventus get the defender Spalletti wants without blowing up their budget.
With Lucumi already committed to the move and convinced by the club’s determination to secure him, there is quiet confidence in Turin that the final agreement will come. The question now is not whether Juventus and Lucumi are aligned.
It is how much Bologna can squeeze out of the last months of his contract – and how far Juventus are willing to go to secure the man they see as the next cornerstone of their defence.
