Barcelona turn to 27-year-old Bologna centre-back as Alessandro Bastoni alternative | OneFootball

It is known that Barcelona want to strengthen the centre-back position, but their pursuit of Alessandro Bastoni is proving far from straightforward. 

As a result, the club has already begun working on contingency options and a new name has now emerged strongly on their radar.

According to a report from SPORT, Barcelona have reignited their interest in Jhon Lucumi, the Colombian international currently playing for Bologna.

Bastoni is a priority

For now, the Blaugrana’s priority is to sign Bastoni. 

A key figure at Inter Milan, the Italian is still viewed as the ideal long-term solution to strengthen the centre-back position. 

Barcelona have already taken concrete steps, submitting an initial offer believed to be around €45 million. 

However, negotiations have hit a significant obstacle, as Inter are holding on their valuation, with reports suggesting that any deal would require at least €60 million.

Jhon Lucumi is on Barcelona’s radar. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

With uncertainty growing around the Bastoni deal, Barcelona are wasting no time exploring alternatives.

Lucumi enters the shortlist

As a result, Lucumi has now re-emerged as a serious option. 

The 27-year-old defender has been on the club’s radar for over a year, as his profile sits well with Barcelona’s sporting department.

Importantly, Lucumi’s current deal with Bologna runs until 2027, but he has reportedly rejected a renewal offer, opening the door for a potential transfer.

As such, interest in the Colombian is far from limited to Spain, as clubs from the Premier League, including Bournemouth and Sunderland, as well as Turkish giants Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, are all monitoring his situation closely.

Despite this competition, Barcelona remain the competition. In fact, reports suggest that Deco is keen to move quickly if the Bastoni negotiations ultimately collapse.

Simply put, while Bastoni remains Barcelona’s dream signing, Lucumi is becoming a very real possibility.