“Very South American thing” Spalletti welcomes Lucumi to Juventus | OneFootball

Luciano Spalletti is delighted that Juventus have finally signed Jhon Lucumi, and he is pleased with the profile of the Colombian defender and what he can bring to Turin.

Lucumi attracted interest from several clubs over the last few weeks, but his full focus was on a move to Juventus, and he was prepared to wait for them.

Lucumi Chose Juventus Move

Although Bologna agreed a deal with at least one other club, Lucumi insisted that he would only move to Juventus. His wish has now been granted, giving the Bianconeri another top defender for their squad.

Lucumi is expected to partner Gleison Bremer at the heart of the Juventus defence, with the pair looking to make the team as difficult as possible to break down.

Juventus have already shown improvements defensively since Luciano Spalletti became their manager, and the coach will expect those performances to become even stronger with Lucumi now available.

Spalletti Praises Lucumi’s Qualities

Speaking about the defender, he said via Football Italia:

“Lucumi has this drive, this physicality that we could really do with.

“It’s a very South American thing, they call it garra, where the character is imposed on the game.”

Spalletti clearly values the qualities Lucumi can bring to the Juventus defence, particularly his physicality and determination. Those attributes could help strengthen a defensive unit that has already improved under the manager.

Lucumi will also be aware that expectations are much higher at Juventus, where competition for places is intense. However, he will have the opportunity to play alongside better teammates and will look to make the most of his move to Turin.

The Colombian will now aim to adapt quickly to his new surroundings and demonstrate that he deserves a regular place in the starting XI. With Spalletti already impressed by his qualities, Lucumi will hope to justify the club’s decision to bring him to Juventus and help the team continue improving defensively.