Transfer news: Sunderland-linked attacker set to push for January exit as Black Cats eye £88m-rated wonderkid
All of the latest Sunderland-related transfer news and speculation...
Sassuolo attacker Armand Lauriente is set to push for a January exit amid ongoing speculation linking him with Sunderland.
The Frenchman came mightily close to signing for the Black Cats during the summer transfer window, and even went as far as to travel for a medical, only for the deal to collapse at the eleventh hour.
In recent weeks, however, there have been suggestions that Sunderland could look to revive their interest in the player. Indeed, earlier this month, Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb claimed that Lauriente remains keen on a Premier League move, and to that end, given their previous interest in a £17.5 million swoop, Regis Le Bris’ side have been touted as an option.
For his part, Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali has also hinted that a departure could be on the cards, but only if a higher valuation is met. As quoted by Il Resto del Carlino, the club chief said: “€30 million [£26.3 million] might be enough, but it’s not always a question of numbers when you start a negotiation.”
And in a fresh update, TuttoMercatoWeb reiterate the belief that Lauriente has no interest in signing a new contract in Italy, and will instead do his utmost to engineer a move away from Sassuolo in the new year. As things stand, the 27-year-old’s current deal is set to expire in 2027.
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Sunderland touted as admirers of Argentine wonderkid
Elsewhere, Sunderland are said to be admirers of River Plate starlet Bruno Cabral, according to reports.
The 15-year-old has been making quite the impression in his native Argentina, and has garnered plenty of attention since winning the Golden Boot and MVP Award at this year’s Messi Cup - an eight-team youth tournament named after Lionel Messi comprised of River Plate, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Inter Miami, Newell’s Old Boys, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Barcelona. Cabral netted seven goals in five outings across the competition, and has also notched 13 in nine for Argentina’s development sides at various age groups.
It is within this context that he is reportedly starting to attract attention from Europe, according to Diario Registrado, with Sunderland mentioned as prospective suitors alongside German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. Any deal for Cabral could prove to be extremely expensive, however. It is stated that River Plate are set to demand a release clause of £87.7 million, but that figure would only come into effect once he puts pen to paper on a professional contract - something he cannot do until he turns 16 next August.
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