Sunderland tried to sign Bologna defender Jhon Lucumí this summer, without success, after the Serie A side positioned itself as inflexible in this regard.
Lucumí, 27, has a current contract with his current club until the summer of 2027, but he showed himself keen to move to the Premier League.
According to Quotidiano Sportivo, Sunderland offered the Colombian a sensational salary of £2.56 million per season, in addition to making a concrete offer to Bologna, but the Italians stood firm and did not accept.
Amid all this speculation, a new clue has emerged about what could be another attempt by the Cats in the coming months.
Sunderland table £2.56m-a-season offer as January transfer condition is revealed
Sunderland transfer target Jhon Lucumi
IMAGO / AFLOSPORT
The cited outlet explained that Sunderland could try to sign Lucumí again in January, during the winter transfer window, but any progress in this regard will depend on whether the Colombian signs a contract extension with Bologna, or not, before 2026.
According to the Echo, the Serie A club has offered an extension until 2029 with a salary increase to the player, but so far, there is no agreement, so hope remains on Wearside.
The Serie A side have tabled an offer running until the summer of 2029, including a significant pay rise to convince him to stay. But as it stands, there is no agreement, and Lucumí may choose to delay a decision on his future until the end of the season.
Sunderland Echo
Last week, Bologna CEO Claudio Fenucci confirmed that the club is working on reaching an agreement with Lucumí to tie him to a new long-term contract.
However, we must not forget that throughout the summer, it was reported that the Colombian was particularly excited about the idea of playing in the Premier League. We will see if this desire ends up being relevant. We will have to wait.
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