Juventus Nears Deal for Jhon Lucumí as Defender Chooses Turin Over Premier League

Juventus are within touching distance of Jhon Lucumí after the Bologna defender chose Turin over the lure of the Premier League and a bigger pay packet.

The Colombian centre-back has reached an agreement in principle with the Bianconeri on a five-year contract worth €2.5 million per season plus bonuses, despite Nottingham Forest putting more money on the table and interest arriving from Chelsea and Manchester United. Forest, in particular, were ready to go around €1 million higher net per year, but Lucumí’s choice cut through the noise.

He wants Juventus. He wants Europe. And he wants to stay in Serie A.

For the 26-year-old, the appeal of a bigger stage outweighed the numbers on the spreadsheet. The prospect of competing for trophies, playing European football and anchoring the back line of one of Italy’s giants proved stronger than the temptation of a richer deal in England.

Spalletti’s priority

Luciano Spalletti has pushed hard. Impressed by Lucumí’s commanding World Cup performances – including his standout display in which he kept Cristiano Ronaldo under wraps – the Juventus coach quickly identified him as a defensive priority. The message to the club hierarchy was clear: get him.

Contacts with Bologna are already under way, with Juventus now needing to turn personal agreement into a deal between clubs.

Bologna hold the cards… for now

This is where it gets complicated. Lucumí’s release clause of €28 million expired in mid-July, removing the clean, one-click route to signing him. Bologna now value their defensive leader at a minimum of €25 million.

They can ask for that figure, but not for long.

Lucumí’s contract has only 10 months left. Bologna know they cannot push too hard without running the serious risk of losing him for nothing next summer. That ticking clock shapes every conversation, every counter-offer, every pause on the phone line.

Juventus, sensing the leverage, will try to drive the price down while stressing the player’s clear preference for Turin. Bologna, aware of how hard it is to replace a leader at the back, will fight to extract as much as possible before time and circumstance turn against them.

The agreement with Lucumí is in place. The will of the player is obvious. Now the deal rests on numbers, negotiation and how far Bologna are prepared to go to keep hold of a defender who already seems to have one foot in black and white.