Lee Johnson's interesting response to questions over the Sunderland AFC takeover amid Kyril Louis-Dreyfus links

The Black Cats’ new head coach was quizzed on the ownership of the club prior to the weekend visit to Lincoln City, with Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori pursuing a deal to purchase a majority stake in the Wearsiders.

Louis-Dreyfus and Sartori are far from the first group to pursue a deal for Sunderland after Stewart Donald publicly placed the club up for sale almost twelve months ago.

And indeed, Johnson says he has previously been asked by interested consortiums to undertake some research into the Black Cats’ playing squad – with the 39-year-old believing it ‘makes sense’ for investors to look at Sunderland given the potential within the football club.

When asked if he had been informed of any imminent changes at the top of the club, Johnson said: "No, I haven’t.”

"Obviously I hear – as everybody does – the bits and bobs.

"I was actually asked to do a bit of research on the playing squad for a couple of consortiums that are looking at buying Sunderland.

"I think if you were looking at a football club to go and buy, it makes sense. Sunderland, effectively, is under-achieving currently and there’s a lot of potential in the football club as a whole.

"It wouldn’t surprise me if there wasn’t a number of people coming in for the football club.”

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