James Copley reacts to Enzo Le Fee's costly penalty miss for Sunderland against Brentford
Sunderland were heavily linked with Jhon Lucumí during the summer transfer window.
The Colombian was mooted for a move to Wearside during the summer transfer window, but his current employers, Bologna, refused to sanction his exit, and as such, he was forced to stay put in Italy.
With Lucumí’s contract set to expire in 2027, there has been an effort on Bologna’s part to negotiate an extension with the player, but as yet, no breakthrough has been made. As recently as October, Giovanni Sartori, technical director of the Serie A outfit explained: "We are talking to Lucumí about extending his contract and we would be very happy if he was to stay.
“Whether he would be happy about that, I don’t know, you’d have to ask him. We’ll see him later on and see what he has decided. After having to give up on his Premier League dream in the summer, he got right back on track with great professionalism. I hope we won’t have to do too much on the transfer market in January, considering the squad has so much quality.”
It is within this context that reports from Italy back in December claimed that Sunderland were still monitoring the ongoing situation, and that the Black Cats were weighing up the prospect of reigniting their pursuit. It was widely reported that Regis Le Bris’ side initially put together a package worth around £24 million in their initial bid to sign the centre-back, but there have since been suggestions that a fee of around £12 million could be enough to tempt Bologna into a sale as the player’s contract ebbs away.
It is also worth noting that back in October, The Echo was told Sunderland are not currently planning to revive a deal for Lucumí in January. Sources on Wearside were clear that he is not an active target despite previous admiration, and attention has since shifted elsewhere.
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What is the latest on Manchester City’s interest in Jhon Lucumí?
But while Sunderland may have cooled their interest in Lucumí, a fresh update from Italian outlet Il Resto del Carlino claims that Premier League title hopefuls Man City are now casting an eye over him.
Pep Guardiola’s side have been rocked by defensive injuries of late, with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Nathan Ake the latest to join an ever-growing list of absentees. Speaking after a 1-1 draw against Chelsea at the weekend, the head coach said: "We have a lot [of injuries]. John Stones is missing for I don't know how many months.
"Ruben now will be out, Josko will be out. Nathan, always we know with Nathan he cannot play regularly. It's the situation. Stay strong and we will find a solution. The spirit is there and will be there. Of course I have concerns. Have you seen the bench today? Four players from the academy and now we will have more. We don't have players."
City have subsequently been linked with a move for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, but as per these latest reports from Italy, are also monitoring Lucumí ahead of an unexpected swoop - although as yet, they are yet to make any kind of formal approach. For his part, the 27-year-old is understood to have no intention of renewing his contract, while Bologna are said to be outwardly determined to keep hold of him until at least the summer.
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