Sunderland ‘to revisit’ Jhon Lucumí move as Black Cats assess defensive options | OneFootball

Sunderland could revive their pursuit of Bologna defender Jhon Lucumí this summer, with Gazzetta dello Sport reporting the club are monitoring developments.

The Black Cats made Lucumí a leading target last year, but Bologna resisted a sale after losing key players early in the window. Despite his agent publicly urging a rethink, Sunderland eventually ended their chase.

Talk of a January move was swiftly played down by club sources. Lucumí now has one year left on his deal and has turned down extension offers, leaving Bologna more likely to cash in.

The 28-year-old sits within a wider defensive reshuffle as Florent Ghisolfi works to strengthen the defence. Sassuolo centre-back Tarik Muharemović is a target and is expected to move, having featured three times for Bosnia at this summer’s World Cup. He also has interest from other Premier League clubs and from Juventus, who retain a 50% sell-on after selling him to Sassuolo a year ago.

Lucumí is viewed as an alternative if Sunderland cannot land Muharemović. Both defenders are understood to have long-standing admirers at Inter Milan, the current Serie A champions.

Source: Sunderland Echo