TURIN, Italy — In a high-profile transfer move that caps off a standout World Cup campaign, top Italian Serie A club Juventus announced the signing of Colombian center-back Jhon Lucumí on Monday. The deal, valued at an initial €19.5 million ($22.6 million), could climb to more than €22 million ($25.5 million) once performance-based add-ons are factored in, with the 28-year-old defender moving from Juventus’ domestic rival Bologna. Lucumí has penned a four-year contract that will keep him at the Turin-based club through the 2027-2028 season.
Lucumí emerged as one of the most impressive defenders at the recent World Cup, turning heads with his consistent solid performances for Colombia. He played every single minute of the South American side’s five tournament matches, with Colombia conceding only one goal across those outings — that strike coming in their opening 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan. Colombia’s World Cup run ultimately ended in the round of 16 against Switzerland, after 120 minutes of play ended in a scoreless draw that pushed the tie to a penalty shootout. During extra time, Lucumí came close to scoring a match-winning goal, only to see his header bounce off the crossbar; he was substituted before the shootout, which Colombia lost.
The transfer to Juventus marks a new high point in Lucumí’s European club career, which began when he moved to the continent to join Belgian top-flight side Genk. He spent four seasons with Bologna, cementing his status as one of Serie A’s most reliable center backs and even earning experience in the Champions League during the 2021-2022 campaign with the club. For Juventus, the signing adds much-needed depth to their defensive line ahead of the second half of the season, which will see the Old Lady compete in the UEFA Europa League. The club finished sixth in Serie A last season, which saw them drop out of Champions League qualification for the current campaign.