There is much talk about Beukema, but Bologna’s real knot is elsewhere. An expiring contract complicates Italiano’s plans. And Sartori will have to make important decisions
Bologna, altro che Beukema: c’è un altro grande sacrificio da fare (Foto: Ansa) – serieanews.com
The problem with doing things too well is that, at some point, someone notices. And when it happens, you can no longer pretend it’s not happening. This year’s Bologna is living proof of how dangerous beauty can become, especially in Serie A.
A collective beauty, certainly, made up of play, clear ideas, and newfound enthusiasm. But also of individuals who, month after month, have become market men. And there the pains begin.
Vincenzo Italiano inherited a solid group, carefully shaped by Thiago Motta, and made it run, breathe, dribble. But now the breath on their necks comes not from their opponents on the pitch, but from the sporting directors of the others. The approaching summer promises no respite: Bologna will have to defend its treasure. Or, more realistically, decide which pieces to sacrifice in order not to lose its balance.
For this is precisely the most delicate challenge: to resist without destroying, to yield without dismantling. Easy to say, less so to do. Especially when the list of suitors grows longer every day. Castro, Ndoye, Orsolini: three names that alone already make half a team, yet they are not the only ones under observation.
In midfield, retaining Lewis Ferguson becomes a challenge, with Napoli and some English clubs ready to break the bank. But it is behind, in defense, that perhaps the most complicated game is played.
Bologna, problema difesa: via almeno uno fra Lucumì e Beukema
There where confidence is built, where every mistake weighs double, Bologna is in danger of having to start all over again. The starting central pair is already on everyone’s lips, and there is one detail that makes it all the more thorny: both defenders are at the center of negotiations. And we are not talking about rumors out of the air, but serious interest, from clubs that rarely return empty-handed.
One is Sam Beukema, the Dutchman who has conquered Emilia in two seasons with quiet but obvious leadership. He plays simple, doesn’t complicate his life, and never misses time.
Bologna, problema difesa: via almeno uno fra Lucumì e Beukema (LaPresse) – serieanews.com
The other, however, is the one that could really force Sartori to make the biggest sacrifice. His name is Jhon Lucumí, and he has had such a solid championship that even Barcelona has inquired. Add to that a contractual deadline in 2026 and the picture is complete: either he renews, or he says goodbye.
Monetizing now, perhaps without cashing in a resounding amount of money, could become the only way to avoid losing him at parameter zero. It is a choice that weighs, certainly, but one that already seems to be taking shape in the rooms upstairs at the Dall’Ara.
Beukema, barring mind-boggling offers, could stay another year. Lucumí, on the other hand, has a road opening under his feet, and he may not want to ignore it.
Of course, nothing is written yet. But those who know Sartori know that Bologna will not be found unprepared. The DS is someone who can see far, and if he has to reinvest, he will do so with logic and courage. Of course, redoing the entire defense in one fell swoop would be a gamble to avoid. But if either or both of them raise their voices, or worse, the options shrink. And the summer, from hot, could turn scorching hot.
This article Bologna, other than Beukema: there’s another big sacrifice to be made appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
