Juventus Transfer Market: A Serie A Battle for the Defender Who Hasn’t Impressed Luciano Spalletti
Daniele Rugani’s name is back in the news for Bologna. The Juventus center back, who came up through the Empoli youth system, has returned to Turin following his loan stint at Fiorentina, where he saw little playing time during the season. His future, however, still seems far from Continassa, as Luciano Spalletti does not consider him a key part of the team’s plans—or even a minor one, for that matter.
The Rossoblù club, which had already shown interest in Rugani in the past, could decide to make another move for him in the coming weeks. Much will also depend on how the situation involving Jhon Lucumí unfolds, as he is almost certain to leave Bologna. Juventus remains strongly interested in the Colombian defender and is ready to make him a priority to strengthen its back line.
However, Bologna isn’t the only club eyeing the 1994-born player. Monza is also closely monitoring the situation. The Brianza-based club, now back in Serie A, is looking for an experienced defender after the first preseason friendlies highlighted the need to improve the quality and solidity of its back line. Rugani thus represents a concrete opportunity for both clubs.
Confirmation that Rugani is not part of Spalletti’s plans also came from Wednesday’s friendly against Chelsea in Hong Kong, where the defender entered the game only in the final minutes, with the result already decided, replacing Gatti. Juventus won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Zhegrova, with Rugani sharing the final minutes on the field with Arthur and Durmisi—a decision that speaks volumes about his standing within the Bianconeri squad.
After all, Juventus’ stance toward Rugani had already become clear during the winter transfer window, when the club loaned the defender to Fiorentina.
As for Lucumí, however, the situation is becoming increasingly clear. The Colombian has chosen to wait for Juventus, turning down offers from two Turkish clubs in recent weeks and biding his time even in the face of an offer from the Premier League. Contacts between the two clubs are reportedly back on track, with Giovanni Carnevali and Ricky Massara leading the negotiations with Bologna, which can no longer afford to delay: the defender, whose contract expires in 2027, has never shown any willingness to renew. This scenario effectively forces the Rossoblù to seriously consider a sale, thereby paving the way for a possible move by Bologna to sign Rugani as a replacement.
