Manchester United are looking to revamp their defensive ranks. Having conceded 50 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, Michael Carrick clearly believes there is room for improvement in that department.
To do this, the Red Devils could bring Colombian international Jhon Lucumi on board. An experienced defender, he could pay dividends in holding their backline together ahead of the 2026/27 season.
He was very solid at the 2026 World Cup, playing in every game for his country en route to their run to the round of 16. With Lucumi at the heart of their defence, they only conceded one goal in five games, despite facing dangerous outfits such as Portugal and Switzerland.
He was also impressive at club level for Bologna, playing a pivotal role in their campaign that saw them reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season.
According to a recent report from Italian outlet Quotidiano Sportivo, United have made a ‘move’ to sign the player, with big six rivals Chelsea in hot pursuit. As well as this, Juventus are also in the mix.
There are more clubs in the race to sign him, though. According to TransferFeed, fellow Premier League outfits Bournemouth and Sunderland are amongst the interested parties, as are Inter Milan, Como and Napoli.
Furthermore, a pair of reports from Il Resto de Carlino suggest that Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur could also be interested, though nothing has developed in the weeks since.
As such, there are plenty of competitors lining up to nab Lucumi from Bologna this summer. Can United fend off his other potential suitors?
Jhon Lucumi 2025/26 Serie A stats
Jhon Lucumi 2026 World Cup stats
Would Lucumi be a good signing for Manchester United?
Jhon Lucumi is an excellent defender, especially in terms of ground duels. His ability to read the game is very strong, being able to rush out and meet attacking players to stop them in their tracks.
An excellent tackler, he uses his timing and physical presence in tandem to great effect. While not the best defender in the world when it comes to aerial duels, despite being 6ft 2, he makes up for it with his incredible tackling ability.
Furthermore, he can also play the ball out of defence with no issues, which is paramount in the modern game. On top of this, he is also left-footed, which gives teams more scope when passing tha ball around the back four.
United certainly need new centre-backs ahead of the upcoming Premier League season. Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt will miss out on the campaign’s dawn, leaving the Red Devils with just Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven to pick between as far as out-and-out central defenders go.
As such, bringing a new centre-back to the club – especially a senior one – makes a lot of sense at the moment. It’s unclear how much he will cost, but with his current deal due to expire next summer, he shouldn’t be too expensive.