Florent Ghisolfi facing competition from Aston Villa and Bournemouth for £21.5m Djordje Petrovic transfer

The Black Cats are exploring a move for the Serbian international, but face rival interest from Villa and Bournemouth

Sunderland are facing competition from Aston Villa and Bournemouth in the race to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, according to GiveMeSport.

The 25-year-old Serbian international is attracting growing interest ahead of the new Premier League season, with sources confirming that all three clubs have explored a potential summer move. Turkish clubs have also made approaches for Petrovic, but the player is understood to be prioritising a move within one of Europe’s top-five leagues.

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Petrovic joined Chelsea from New England Revolution last summer and made 22 appearances across all competitions during his debut campaign. Despite some assured performances, his future at Stamford Bridge is uncertain.

Sunderland, promoted via the Championship play-offs in May, are in the market for a goalkeeper to provide competition for Anthony Patterson. Régis Le Bris is keen to add a second senior shot-stopper with Premier League or top-level experience, and Petrovic’s profile, pedigree and playing style make him a strong fit for the club’s possession-based system.

The 6ft 4in keeper has impressed in England with his sharp reflexes, command of the box and calmness in distribution – attributes that would suit Le Bris’ tactical demands as Sunderland transition to top-flight football. However, with Villa and Bournemouth also monitoring Petrovic’s situation, Sunderland are unlikely to get a clear run at the player. Villa could be in the market for a longer-term successor to Emiliano Martínez, while Bournemouth are assessing their goalkeeping options following internal changes to their recruitment structure.

The level of Chelsea’s asking price is not yet clear, but with Petrovic under a long-term contract and having made a positive impression last season, a significant fee would likely be required to tempt the Blues into a sale and £21.5m has been mentioned.

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Sunderland have already made a strong start to the window, landing £30million midfielder Habib Diarra from Strasbourg and completing a £15million deal for Belgian Pro League standout Noah Sadiki. Adding a goalkeeper remains one of the final key objectives before the squad flies to Portugal for their pre-season training camp on July 15.

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Petrovic has been capped four times by Serbia and is open to a move if first-team opportunities become limited at Chelsea. While interest from Turkey is believed to be genuine, the player is thought to be prioritising a stay in the Premier League or another top European division.

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