Manchester United are one of the “leading teams in England” pursuing Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumi, according to AS.

The Spanish publication claim that scouts from the Red Devils have been “surprised” by the Colombian international’s “spectacular” form this season.

Lucumi has been part of a Bologna team that has defied expectations with Thiago Motta’s men currently sitting 5th in the Serie A table; level on points with 4th place Atalanta.

There is a genuine chance of Champions League qualification, and United have been watching the Italian side’s progress.

Lucumi is not the only player they have looked at, with striker Joshua Zirkzee also on the Manchester club’s radar, but the 25-year-old centre-half has been turning heads.

He is fast, physical and very capable in one-on-one duels, making him a good fit for the Premier League. On top of that, his passing accuracy is right up there with the best, which suggests he is very much a modern-day defender who can handle Erik ten Hag’s style of play.

An understudy for Martinez?

Ten Hag has often lamented the lack of balance in his backline when Lisandro Martinez is injured. Jonny Evans has been asked to play more often than expected as the United boss is reluctant to play either Harry Maguire or Raphael Varane as the left-sided centre-back.

However, with Lucumi being left-footed, the defender could be seen as a good option to provide suitable cover for the Argentinian international.

Will United face competition for Lucumi?

As AS point out, there are said to be multiple clubs in the Premier League weighing up a potential move for the Colombian this summer.

No other teams are explicitly mentioned in their report but it is safe to say that ten Hag’s team may have to move fast if they want to secure Lucumi’s signature at the end of the season.