Inter Impressed with Unheralded Bologna Center-Back | OneFootball

Inter have two Bologna defenders on their radar, Sam Beukema and Jhon Lucumi, and after seeing them from up close in the recent clash between the two sides, the latter has gained a lot of fans in their management and training staff, La Gazzetta dello Sport informs.

The Colombian center-back played a big role in stifling Lautaro Martinez and Joaquin Correa. His teammate is considered more consistent, but he’s been steadily improving since arriving in Serie A. More importantly, he could be a lot easier to sign due to his contractual situation. He’s tied to the Felsinei only until 2026. Time is running out on an extension. His team probably won’t take any chances if it doesn’t come before the summer, eyeing the next big ‘plusvalenza.’

Beukema has long been tapped as a possible heir to Stefan De Vrij and Francesco Acerbi, but the former could stay at Inter, while Lucumi is more of a hybrid. The 26-year-old moved to Italy in 2022 in a €8M transfer from Genk. He has piled up 102 appearances with the Rossoblù.

Our Take on Inter and Lucumi

He might not be as brilliant as Beukema or other options on their wish list, but the viability of the deal is obviously a big factor in the transfer market. Among the Bologna stars, he’s probably the most likely to leave. His acquisition would be consistent with the latest buzz suggesting that De Vrij and Acerbi could stick around. If that were true, the missing piece would be somebody proper behind Alessandro Bastoni. And there’s no reason he couldn’t grow into an anchor over time, although he’s not super polished with his feet.