Sunderland transfer target linked with Roma and Bournemouth amid £19.3m summer deal claim

Former Sunderland transfer target Jhon Lucumí is attracting fresh interest from Juventus, Roma and Bournemouth, according to reports in Italy.

The Bologna defender was one of Sunderland’s main defensive targets following promotion to the Premier League, with the Black Cats understood to have made a serious push to bring the Colombia international to Wearside. Official bids were submitted and wage proposals were also put to the player, who was believed to be open to the move at one stage.

However, Bologna were reluctant to sanction his departure after losing other key defenders, and the move eventually collapsed. Sunderland later decided not to revive their interest during the January window, bringing that particular saga to a halt.

Now, Lucumí’s future is back under the spotlight. According to Tutto Juve, his situation is unlikely to be resolved before the end of June, with no interested club currently thought to be willing to immediately trigger his €28million release clause, which runs until mid-July. That figure is worth around £24.6million.

The same report claims Bologna could subsequently be open to negotiations at around €20million to €22million, which would convert to roughly £17.5million to £19.3million. Juventus, Roma and Bournemouth are named as the clubs currently interested in the 27-year-old, who has just one year remaining on his contract with Bologna.

Lucumí joined Bologna from Genk in 2022 and has since established himself as one of the club’s most important players. The Colombia international has made 149 appearances for the Rossoblù and was part of the side that won the Coppa Italia in 2024-25, while also helping Bologna secure Champions League qualification.

His defensive output has also remained impressive. This season, Lucumí has made a team-high 168 defensive contributions in Serie A, while averaging 1.4 interceptions and 0.5 blocks per 90 minutes. That ranks him first and second respectively among Bologna players.

Given that profile, it was easy to understand Sunderland’s interest. Lucumí offered top-level experience, defensive aggression and the ability to play in a possession-based side - all qualities that would have appealed to Régis Le Bris and Sunderland’s recruitment team.

Bologna now face a key decision. Unless a new deal is agreed, this summer may represent their last realistic opportunity to command a significant fee for the defender. The existence of a release clause gives interested clubs a clear figure to work with until mid-July, but the suggestion that Bologna could later negotiate at a lower price may encourage clubs to wait.

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Barcelona have also previously been credited with monitoring Lucumí’s situation, while his agent has indicated that the defender is settled in Italy and focused on Bologna. A strong World Cup with Colombia could further increase interest and potentially strengthen Bologna’s hand, although his contract situation leaves the Italian club in a delicate position.

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