United step up pursuit of 28-yo South American who is the ideal Lisandro Martinez replacement report

Manchester United may have scored the third-most goals in the Premier League last season, but they also conceded 50 times in the league. For context, champions Arsenal let in just 27 in 38 games. The Red Devils found the back of the net 69 times in the league, which was a huge improvement on their return of 44 goals in the Premier League in the 2024/25 season. However, United’s defending still left a lot to be desired, with the team conceding only four fewer goals compared to the previous campaign. The backline did show improvements following the arrival of Michael Carrick and the switch to a back four. However, with Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt struggling to stay fit, and Harry Maguire already on the wrong side of 30, defensive reinforcements cannot be ruled out this summer. A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that the Red Devils have set their sights on Bologna central defender Jhon Lucumi. The ideal Lisandro Martinez replacement? Lucumi is a product of Deportivo Cali, his hometown club in Colombia, and broke into the senior side in 2015 as a teenager. He moved to Genk in 2018 and spent four seasons at the Belgian club before attracting attention from Bologna. The Serie A side secured his signature in 2022 and the 28 year old is now a first-team regular at Stadio Renato Dall’Ara. The player’s strength in duels, defensive intelligence, and ability to play out from the back make him an enticing option for United. Last season, Lucumi registered one goal and one assist in 43 appearances across all competitions for Bologna. Jhon Lucumi Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Serie A29261-5-2,287′ UEFA Europa League1010-13-930′ Italy Cup22—-170′ Supercoppa Italiana22—-180′ Total4340118-3,567′ Source: Transfermarkt. The left-footed central defender has a profile similar to Lisandro Martinez, and could be a fine replacement for the injury-prone Argentine at Old Trafford. The recent report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that Lucumi is open to a move to the Theatre of Dreams. An update on the saga has now emerged that will delight United fans. United step up Lucumi pursuit According to Corriere di Bologna, as cited by Sport Witness, United have made a move for the Colombian defender. The report adds that Bologna CEO Claudio Fenucci is facing several issues at the club ahead of the new season, including transfer plans. There is already interest in Jonathan Rowe from Aston Villa, and it now appears that the Red Devils have entered the race for Lucumi. United are reportedly among several clubs interested in the centre-back’s signature this summer. The Colombian is in the final year of his contract with the Italian club, which has further added to speculation regarding his future. Fenucci had recently revealed that Bologna are ready to let the player leave for the right price, stating: “A year ago, we couldn’t sell him at the end of the transfer window.” “But we promised him that this year, given a suitable offer, we’d make it happen. The transfer window hasn’t really taken off yet, and if it didn’t for Lucumi either, we’d be happy to keep him…” Final Thoughts Lucumi was also linked with a move to Old Trafford in 2024, although the move has failed to materialise to date. However, the Colombian’s contract situation provides United with a unique opportunity to secure his signature for a reduced fee this summer, and INEOS cannot afford to miss out on him. Featured image Leonardo Fernandez via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.