Sunderland transfer news: Luis Hemir close to shock loan switch while new striker target emerges

Sunderland striker Luis Hemir is closing in on a loan exit from the club after a deal was agreed in principle with Serie A giants Juventus.

It’s thought that Juventus will hold an option to make the deal permanent. Hemir has struggled to make an impact since joining last summer following his departure from Benfica and has not been part of Regis Le Bris’ plans through the early stages of the season. While his destination is something of a surprise, it could be that he goes to play primarily with Juve’s B side who play in Serie C. Either way, a deal is expected to go through before the transfer window closes at 11pm.

Sunderland are working hard to sign at least one more striker to bolster their ranks following Wilson Isidor’s move from Zenit last week, and a new name has emerged on the radar. Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reports that the Black Cats have made a bid for Gent striker Ahmed Abdullahi. The youngster has limited experience in senior football but is seen as a major prospect for the future.

It’s expected to be a very busy end to the transfer window for the Black Cats. They’ve moved quickly in the wake of Aji Alese’s injury to sign Chris Mepham on loan from Bournemouth, with a deal expected to be concluded. They should also sign midfield duo Samis Abdul Samed and Milan Aleksic, while a raft of outgoings are on the cards. Hemir is one of those, as well as Pierre Ekwah who is likely to join St Etienne on a similar loan with option deal.