Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil has been touted for a January exit

Italian giants AS Roma are in the frame to sign Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil amid ongoing uncertainty over his future on Wearside, according to reports from the continent.

The 23-year-old was a key member of Regis Le Bris’ promotion-winning side last term, making 48 appearances and wearing the captain’s armband for his boyhood club. This season has proved much less fruitful for the Black Cats academy graduate, however.

After a summer rebuild in which the likes of Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, and Habib Diarra all arrived at the Stadium of Light, Neil has been consigned to a watching brief for the most part, registering just two minutes of Premier League football and a single outing in the Carabao Cup.

To complicate matters further, the midfielder is rapidly approaching the end of his contract with Sunderland. As things stand, Neil’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the season, which would allow him to leave on a free transfer, provided an extension is not agreed over the coming weeks and months.

And a fresh update from ASRomaLive claims that he could be on the move sooner rather than later. As per the Italian outlet, the Black Cats talent is “ready to change” clubs in January, with no significant talks underway over the prospect of him extending his stay in the North East.

To that end, it is suggested that director of football Florent Ghisolfi would only seek a “modest fee” for the player in the new year, given his contract situation, and that the Frenchman’s former employers, Roma, are monitoring the situation. The Serie A outfit have been linked with Neil in the past, and journalist Angelo Papi has reiterated his belief that the Sunderland star remains a target. He said: “I’m not saying Roma will sign him, but I can confirm that he’s one of Roma’s objectives and that he can leave because he hardly ever plays.”

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What has been said about Dan Neil’s contract situation at Sunderland?

Speaking back in September, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman admitted that he was still calm about the status of both Neil and Sunderland teammate Dennis Cirkin, who is also out of contract this summer.

He said: "No, I wouldn't say it's a concern. We've had similar situations in the past. It's never really been a concern for us because we're on top of the conversation. So there's no ambiguity on where it's at. It's just so difficult over the transfer window to do everything, and we've got some outstanding topics to discuss and to resolve, and they're two of them. So we'll do as we've always done. We'll continue to have those conversations and get to a consensus and a decision on it."

For his part, head coach Le Bris said: “It is always a shared decision in the end. If we can’t find a solution and he stays, then I, as a manager, will be happy because he is a good player and a good person. He is really well-connected with the project. Then at the end of the season, if he has to leave, then he will leave if we can’t find any other solution. I still think there is a chance of progress [over a contract], though. I am still optimistic.”

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