Sunderland told cut-price fee Jhon Lucumí could be available for in January transfer window

Sunderland have been told that long-term transfer target Jhon Lucumí could be available for as little as £8.7 million in the January transfer window.

The Black Cats were repeatedly linked with a move for the Colombian in the latter stages of the market, but ultimately fell short in their efforts to prise him away from current club Bologna.

Despite the player’s representatives releasing a statement outlining his desire to leave Italy amid ongoing speculation involving Regis Le Bris’ side, the Serie A outfit held firm in their stance that he would not be sold unless a viable replacement could be sourced.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports Italia in late August, Bologna CEO Claudio Fenucci said: "These are the final days of the transfer window, and there's always room for change. In recent days, AC Milan has shown interest in [Giovanni] Fabbian, and then we have to deal with the pressure on Sunderland's Lucumí. Now I don't know if Roma will also make a request for Benjamin Dominguez. We'll see. If we can't replace them, we won't sell anyone. We have plenty of wingers, and we'll see if there are any developments. Our intention is to stay that way.”

Subsequent reports have suggested that it is Bologna’s intention to offer Lucumí improved terms on a new contract, but in the event of him turning down their approach, club legend Renato Villa has told Quotidiano Sportivo that he could be sold for a cut-price fee in the new year.

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What has Renato Villa said about Jhon Lucumí’s future amid Sunderland transfer links?

For his part, Villa has praised Bologna for digging their heels in over Lucumí’s future. Speaking from a tactical perspective, he said: “For me, but especially for Bologna, from a technical standpoint, it’s excellent news. The Vitik-Heggem pairing, if you’re facing fast attackers, can be an unknown quantity because neither of them is fast. Lucumí, on the other hand, is, and if you put him next to either of them, you get a very well-matched pairing.”

When asked to elaborate on Lucumí’s situation at Bologna, however, Villa added: “Selling him now would have brought in €25m [£21.7m], while if you sell him in January you’ll only get €10m [£8.7m]. It’s an evaluation the club will surely have made, weighing up the technical and financial factors.”

Instead of signing Lucumí, Sunderland pushed ahead with a deadline day swoop for RB Leipzig defender Lutsharel Geertruida, with the Dutch international joining on an initial loan deal with an option-to-buy clause attached.

Addressing the decision to sign Geertruida, sporting director Speakman said: “We are delighted that Lutsharel has joined us for the 2025-26 season. He was extremely motivated by our proposal from the very beginning, and the opportunity to bring such a high-calibre player to the club on loan was a perfect fit for us. Competition for his signature was high, but the combination of our club, city, and fan base ultimately made the difference.”

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