Juventus Target Jhon Lucumí: Agreement in Principle

Juventus are closing in on Jhon Lucumí, and this time it is not the Premier League money that talks.

The Bologna centre-back has reached an agreement in principle with the Bianconeri, a significant step towards a move to Turin despite pressure from England. According to Tuttosport, Lucumí has kept Juventus at the top of his list even as Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Manchester United circled with interest and exploratory contacts.

Forest, in particular, tested his resolve with a richer offer. The Colombian has agreed personal terms with Juventus on a five-year contract worth €2.5 million per season plus bonuses, turning his back on the prospect of earning roughly €1 million more net each year in the Premier League. He chose stature over salary: the pull of a bigger club, European football and the chance to stay in Serie A outweighed the extra cash.

For Juventus, it is a win of ambition and timing. For Lucumí, it is a statement about where he wants his career to go.

Spalletti’s defensive priority

The next battle is not with England, but with Bologna.

Luciano Spalletti has made Lucumí a priority target after the defender’s commanding World Cup performances, highlighted by his work in shutting down Cristiano Ronaldo. Those displays elevated him from solid Serie A performer to international-calibre leader, and Juventus moved quickly once it became clear he was open to a step up.

Contacts with Bologna are already under way. That is where the real negotiation begins.

Bologna hold their ground – for now

The Rossoblù have set a minimum valuation of €25 million. Lucumí’s €28 million release clause expired in mid-July, removing the straightforward escape route and giving Bologna more room to negotiate, at least on paper.

But the clock is ticking loudly in Emilia-Romagna. The defender’s contract runs out in 10 months. Push the price too high, and Bologna risk watching their defensive leader walk away for nothing next summer. Accept too little, and they undersell one of their most important assets.

Juventus know it. Bologna know it. The leverage shifts a little more with every passing week.

For now, the deal rests on a familiar knife-edge: a player already aligned with the destination he wants, a top club that has made its move, and a selling side trying to squeeze maximum value before time and contract realities close in.