After a long courtship, already from the time of Atalanta, Giovanni Sartori took on Jhon Lucumì. Feisty center back, difficult to jump over, grumpy, sometimes forced to use harsh methods. In two years in Italy, at Bologna, he went from having to battle at the back of the table to the extraordinary fifth place this season which earned him the first – historic – qualification in the Champions League after the Bolognese had played in a European Cup after having won the Scudetto sixty years ago.
The credit also went to the Colombian central defender, who played 29 games – missing some due to injury – almost always as a starter. His performances also allowed him to be called up to the national team for the Copa America, even though he was stopped by a muscle problem and had to leave early, after only twenty-six minutes.
In recent months, Manchester United have also put him in their sights, confirming how his improvement has been visible even to the eyes of the experts. Also because he is still a fairly young profile. However, it is unlikely that Bologna can deprive themselves of a player who has proven to be more than reliable, as Sartori has already thought for years. Jhon Lucumì turns 26 today.