Juventus Transfer Market: Plan B and Plan C Are Ready to Shore Up the Defense

Jhon Lucumi remains on the verge of joining Juventus, but the very last stretch continues to be the most difficult to navigate. Bologna and the Bianconeri, in fact, do not yet seem willing to meet each other halfway on the valuation of the Colombian defender. Time is running out, and Carnevali is already working to identify possible alternatives.

Juventus has made a decisive push in recent weeks to try to pry Lucumi away from Bologna. The Bianconeri’s position, however, is clear: their offer will not exceed 18 million euros for a 28-year-old player whose contract expires in 2027. Bologna, for its part, continues to stand firm on its initial asking price of 25 million euros. This gap does not seem impossible to bridge, especially given the excellent relations between the two clubs, but so far, no common ground has been found.

Negotiations will continue in the coming days, but Juventus does not want to risk reaching the end of the transfer window without having finalized its squad. Juventus management is therefore already evaluating other options, while waiting to see if a compromise can be reached with Bologna. Among the alternatives on the table are Jean-Clair Todibo and Benoît Badiashile. Neither player, at least in Luciano Spalletti’s assessment, seems capable of offering the same qualities as Lucumi. Both could, however, serve as temporary solutions while waiting for the Colombian to potentially join on a free transfer once his contract expires.

Badiashile could leave Chelsea on loan, an arrangement that would be particularly welcome at Juventus. A similar option could also be considered for Todibo, who recently experienced relegation to the Championship with West Ham, a club that would be willing to consider offers for the defender. Lucumi therefore remains the top priority, but Juventus is beginning to look around. And as time runs out, the gap between the asking price and the offer still stands at 7 million euros.