Sunderland transfer news: Black Cats facing significant late competition for Marcin Bulka transfer
Sunderland are facing significant late competition for one of their key transfer targets
Sunderland could miss out on the signing of OGC Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka after a significant rival emerged over the weekend.
According to multiple sources, Saudi Arabian club Neom SC have now agreed a fee with the Ligue 1 club for the 25-year-old are hopeful that they can conclude a deal.
Neom have been promoted to the top tier ahead of Saudi Arabian football ahead of the 2025/26 campaign are expected to invest heavily in order to compete at the top end of the division. According to Foot Mercato, Sunderland have not yet given up hope of signing Bulka but Neom now have a provisional agreement in place with with club and player. OGC Nice are believed to be looking for a deal in the region of €20 million, and have been negotiation with Sunderland in recent days. The club are confident they can reach an agreement on that front and so it appears increasingly likely that the final decision will rest with Bulka himself. Bulka is out of contract at OGC Nice next summer and Sunderland had spotted a potential opportunity to pull off what be a major transfer coup.
It has been a positive few days on Wearside, with the club now closing in on a club-record deal to sign Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra.
Sunderland step up pursuit of experienced left back
Sunderland are working on a deal to sign Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Atlético Madrid, according to The Guardian.
The experienced 31-year-old left-back is available this summer after bringing his three-and-a-half-year spell in the Spanish capital to an end. Sunderland are believed to have have offered the Mozambique international a two-year contract.
Reinildo featured for Atlético at the Club World Cup earlier this year but was not retained beyond the tournament. Since arriving from Lille in 2022, he made 74 La Liga appearances, often serving as back-up in Diego Simeone’s defensive ranks. The left back would bolster an area of the squad where depth is currently lacking, and offer significant top-tier experience to a young squad.
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