According to Il Resto del Carlino, Bologna rejected Sunderland’s €28 million proposal for Jhon Lucumí, who is interested in joining the Stadium of Light this summer.
Bologna CEO Claudio Fenucci revealed on Friday that the centre-back wants to leave the club. However, he will stay because the Serie A club does not have enough time to locate a suitable replacement.
Bologna sporting director Marco Di Vaio has also insisted that the Sunderland target will stay, as reported by TuttoMercatoWeb.
“He cannot move at this time. “We couldn’t find a suitable replacement,” he stated.
Il Resto del Carlino relays comments from Fenucci, Di Vaio, and Lucumí’s agent Simone Rondanini, and then provides the most recent updates on the case.
The agency expressed disappointment at Fenucci’s disclosure, noting that his client had planned to leave Bologna this summer if the “right offer” was made.
Rondanini has challenged everyone to find a solution before the window is closed. Lucumí is now earning €800,000 per year and the Black Cats are proposing him a five-year contract worth €3 million per year.
The Premier League newcomers have also offered €30 million, which is still on the table.
According to reports, the ‘game isn’t over’ for the Colombia international, who still wants to play for Régis Le Bris. It remains to be seen whether he is willing to go to court with the Italian club in order to come to Sunderland.
According to Il Resto del Carlino, Jhon may file an appeal under FIFA’s Article 17. Article 17 permits a player to be released in exchange for compensation three years after signing the contract, as long as it was signed before the player reached 28 and the player notified the club of his decision to release himself within fifteen days of his last match. The power of the clubs is dwindling, with Sunderland’s €30 million remaining on the table; the game is far from done.
Lucumí joined the Serie A team in August 2022, and the report warns of a ‘potential of confrontation’ between the two parties. It is unclear whether a solution can be found quickly or if a judicial struggle would ensue.
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