Over the past few days, reports from Italy have gathered pace suggesting Manchester United were exploring a move to bring Jhon Lucumi to the Premier League.

One report had even claimed that the Red Devils were prepared to match Bologna’s asking price of £21.7 million for the composed Colombian centre-back.

However, as attention turned to whether INEOS would be willing to pay that amount and beat Italian heavyweights Juventus to the defender, a major transfer twist has now emerged.

Lucumi decides his next destination

According to a report by Goal, it is now evident where Lucumi will be playing next season, and it will be neither Bologna nor Manchester United.

The report states: “Juventus are stepping up their move for Jhon Lucumì, the Colombian defender from Bologna: the player has already reached an agreement in principle on a five-year deal with Juventus worth around €2.5 million a season.”

It further adds: “Juventus are ready to offer €20 million fixed plus bonuses that are easily achievable, moving closer to Bologna’s demands for Lucumí.”

Apparently, the Old Lady are hoping to get the deal wrapped up within the next few hours.

That said, while an agreement between the two clubs has not yet been finalised and United could still attempt to hijack the move, that scenario appears unlikely.

Signing a centre-back is not the top priority at Old Trafford at the moment.

Instead, the main focus is on bringing in a left-back, with Lewis Hall regarded as the dream option for that role.

Lucumi may have been the best backup option to Lisandro Martinez, but a transfer is not set to happen.

Fortunately for the 20-time English champions, Ayden Heaven has impressed in the left-sided centre-back role, giving them a dependable alternative to Licha, so Lucumi joining Juventus should not be viewed as a transfer miss.

The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment

Overall credibility: 7/10 Why? ✅ Reported by a reputable source for European transfer news ✅ Transfer decision and progress also being reported by other top sources ⚠️ United never really acted on their interest

TPP view

United never truly moved on their reported interest in Lucumi. It is possible their name was simply used to increase the pressure on Juventus to meet Bologna’s transfer demands.