Jhon Lucumí becomes third Colombian to wear the Juventus jersey

Twenty million euros and a signature in Turin. That's how simple, and at the same time how big, the leap just taken by Jhon Lucumí turns out to be. The defender from Cali passed his medical exams and was officially confirmed as a new Juventus player, arriving from Bologna, the club where he had become a fixture in Serie A over the last four seasons.

With this move, Lucumí joins a very small club: Colombians who have officially worn the jersey of the Old Lady. Before him, only Juan Guillermo Cuadrado and Juan David Cabal had done so, making the center back the third name on that list.

The path Cuadrado opened and Cabal followed

Cuadrado was the trailblazer. He arrived in Turin in 2015 and stayed eight seasons, long enough to play 314 matches, score 26 goals and lift 11 titles, including five Scudetti, four Coppa Italia trophies and two Supercoppe. He was, without exaggeration, the Colombian with the longest history at the club.

Nine years later came Cabal. He arrived in July 2024 from Hellas Verona and signed through June 2029, becoming the second countryman to join Juventus' first team. Now, with Lucumí, the Colombian story at Juventus adds a third chapter, this time with a left-footed center back already established in Italy, a different profile from Cuadrado's attacking style.

From Cali to Turin, by way of Belgium

Lucumí's European journey began in 2018, when he left Deportivo Cali for Belgium's Genk. There he won a league title and a cup before making the jump to Bologna in August 2022, a club that signed him for his qualities as a left-footed center back: strength, speed and good technique. He made his debut on August 27, 2022, starting no less than at San Siro against Milan, and over the years became part of the squad that won the Coppa Italia in 2025.

Negotiations with Juventus moved quickly in the final weeks of the transfer window. Interest intensified over the summer, and the agreement between the two clubs was finalized on August 13, for around 20 million euros plus variables. There were offers from the Premier League on the table, but the player himself prioritized Turin. The contract runs for four seasons, with a salary close to 2.5 million euros net per year.

Behind the figure there's more than just a strong season in Bologna. Lucumí arrives fresh off a 2026 World Cup in which he started all five of Colombia's matches, anchoring a defense that turned heads in Europe. Inter Milan and several English clubs also tracked him closely after the tournament, but Juventus moved first and with conviction.

Even during the World Cup itself, his name was already circulating in Turin. Asked about it, the defender preferred not to get ahead of things:

I knew about Juventus' interest, but I preferred to focus on the World Cup with Colombia and leave everything else for after the tournament.Jhon Lucumí

Now, with the national team already in the rearview mirror, the challenge is different: earning a place in one of the most demanding defenses in Italy and writing, in his own way, his own page in Juventus' Colombian history.