Sunderland are said to be keen on a pair of Galatasaray talents

Sunderland are eyeing an ambitious £52 million double transfer raid on European giants Galatasaray, according to reports in Turkey.

The Black Cats have already spent big this summer, and are expected to wrap up a deal worth a total of around £17.3 million for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka in the near future, with the player having already flown to England to complete his medical.

But with a little over a month to go until the transfer window closes, it would appear that Kristjaan Speakman’s work is far from finished. Indeed, a fresh update from Turkish outlet Sabah Spor claims that Sunderland have made an approach for Galatsaray pair Gabriel Sara and Baris Alper Yilmaz.

What has been said about Sunderland’s transfer interest in Gabriel Sara and Baris Alper Yilmaz?

According to an update from Sabah Spor, Sunderland have “knocked on the door” for the Galatasaray duo this summer ahead of a potential double deal. It is understood that both players are valued at around £26 million, meaning that a deal for both could total some £52 million.

Sara is a Brazilian midfielder who has previously spent time with the likes of Sao Paulo and Norwich City, and who generally operates in a central berth. The 26-year-old is under contract in Istanbul until 2029, having signed for Galatasaray last year.

For his part, Yilmaz is a 25-year-old attacker who tends to feature on the left wing. Having joined Galatasaray in 2021, he has since racked up 25 goals and 20 assists in 156 outings for his current employers, including 14 goals and six assists across all competitions last term.

In a separate update, continental publication HT Spor have suggested that despite interest from the likes of West Ham, Aston Villa, and RB Leipzig, it is Sunderland who are currently pushing hardest to sign the 28-cap Turkey international. In a potential blow to the Black Cats, however, it is stated that Galatasaray are not particularly minded to sanction an exit this summer, while Yilmaz himself is not “insisting” on his departure.

That being said, the report goes on to claim that the player “dreams of playing in England”, and that if a “compelling” offer were to be tabled, Galatasaray could soften their stance.

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Kristjaan Speakman confirms Sunderland's transfer plans for the rest of the transfer window

Speaking to Sky Sports recently, Sunderland sporting director Speakman confirmed that the club were still looking to make several additions to their squad. He said: “We've still got several more players that we need to acquire in certain areas of the pitch.

"I'll leave that a little bit loose for you but we have to try to find the right players. We've never been knee-jerk in our decision making. We'll try to be calm, but it's the balance of being calm, waiting and trying to find [players]. Also knowing that you've got the right ones and being decisive.

"Momentum is important. We want to make sure we can start well. We knew that we had three or four players that we felt were the right ones and we've tried to do them. I think that just shows the ambition of the ownership and the direction of the club."

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