There have been plenty of links around Lucumi, but the strongest signal is not the noise - it is the persistence.
That gap is not insignificant, but it is also not enormous in a market where clubs often posture before landing near the middle.
Lucumi looks like a very Juventus signing: experienced, left-footed, and comfortable in a back line that needs balance as much as aggression. He has been linked with several clubs, including Premier League sides, but his reported preference for Juventus may prove decisive.
That preference is another important market clue. Nottingham Forest are said to have had a proposal rejected by the player, while other admirers never appeared to turn interest into sustained pressure. Juventus, by contrast, have stayed active throughout.
The key question now is whether Bologna soften their stance or Juventus push closer to the asking price. If the add-ons are, as reports suggest, easily achievable, this may come down to accounting more than principle.
The next development to watch is simple: whether the clubs close the remaining gap quickly, or whether another suitor tests Juventus’ lead before the window moves into its decisive stretch.