Will Bologna Be Forced To Sell Jhon Lucumi As Contract Talks Stall?

Bologna could be forced to sell star defender Jhon Lucumi as contract talks appear to have hit a standstill. 

Lucumi’s future has been up in the air throughout the summer transfer window. English Premier League newbies Sunderland pursued the Colombian international but a deal never came to fruition.

However, a move to Wearside could still materialize if Lucumi decides not to extend his stay at the Renato Dall’Ara. His current deal runs out in June 2027.

Will Jhon Lucumi Quit Bologna?

After Sunderland bid for Jhon Lucumi in July, Bologna rebuffed the offer. Head coach Vincenzo Italiano instructed the Rossoblu to keep Lucumi in Emilia-Romagna at all costs.

Especially as the 2025 Coppa Italia winners already lost fellow center-back Sam Buekema. The Dutchman made a €31million move to Napoli in the summer transfer window.

As it stands, Lucumi’s entourage has been locked in talks Bologna but negotiations have hit a snag. The 27-year-old is reportedly in no rush to pen new terms and wants to evaluate all options available to him.

That in itself leaves Bologna in a precarious position. They certainly don’t want to lose Lucumi but if the Colombian makes it clear he wants to leave, the Rossoblu will have to consider selling him to maximize their profit to find a suitable replacement.

Jhon Lucumi Bologna Contract

With Sunderland likely to offer Jhon Lucumi a deal in the region of €2.8m per season, Bologna will need to offer similar terms to try and convince him to stay in Serie A.

However, the highest they are willing to go is approximately €1.4m a year. That is still a hefty increase on his current salary of €782k but around half of what the Black Cats will go to.

The lure of top-flight soccer in England as well as the financial gain will certainly be one that intrigues Lucumi. Now, it is down to the Colombian international to decide what is best for his future.

If money is his main motivator then switching to the Premier League is certainly worth considering. Especially as Lucumi will rub shoulders with some of the finest soccer stars on the planet.

Bologna Transfer Targets

Although Bologna won’t be planning for life without Jhon Lucumi just yet, they will have to have replacements identified as a precaution.

Someone the Rossoblu could re-target is Diogo Leite. The Union Berlin center-back was on Vincenzo Italiano’s radar in the summer transfer window but a move never came to fruition.

Leite’s contract is up in June and he reportedly won’t pen new terms in the German capital. That means a potential free transfer to the Renato Dall’Ara could materialize if terms can be agreed.

Meanwhile, Juventus’ Daniele Rugani is also another star that Bologna could target. Similar to Leite – Rugani’s current deal also expires next summer.

The 31-year-old – who has seven caps for Italy – doesn’t feature in Igor Tudor’s plans and is almost certain to leave the Allianz Stadium sooner rather than later.