Sunderland have been linked with several transfer moves ahead of the September window deadline...

Sunderland are preparing for a busy final week of the transfer window, with significant developments across several targets and ongoing negotiations for incoming players worth potentially north of £77million.

The Black Cats are reportedly ready to submit a formal bid for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, according to RMC Sport. The 27-year-old French international, who joined Chelsea from Monaco in 2023 for around £38.5million, has found himself on the fringes of Enzo Maresca’s plans and could be set for a move.

Sunderland have been tracking Disasi for weeks and are now poised to test Chelsea’s resolve.Bournemouth are also interested and are prepared to propose a loan deal with an option to buy. Two other unnamed clubs are also monitoring the situation closely, adding further competition for his signature.

Meanwhile, Sunderland could yet revisit their interest in Diego Carlos before the window closes. The experienced centre-back, who left Aston Villa in January to join Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in a £8.4million deal, is available after a frustrating spell in Istanbul.

The 32-year-old, who made 58 appearances for Villa and featured 40 times in the Premier League, endured an injury-hit second half of last season and has now fallen down the pecking order following the arrival of Milan Škriniar from Paris Saint-Germain. Fenerbahçe are open to both permanent and loan offers, which could give Sunderland and fellow suitors Leeds United a late opening to strengthen their defensive options.

Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest have had a £30.2million bid rejected for Dilane Bakwa, the Strasbourg forward who has also attracted interest from Sunderland, Leeds, and several other Premier League clubs. The France U21 international, who can operate both on the wing and through the middle, is keen on a move to England, though Strasbourg are holding out for a higher fee. That’s according to the BBC.

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In other news, striker Luís Semedo has sealed a season-long loan move to Moreirense in Portugal, according to reports from A Bola. The 22-year-old forward, who joined Sunderland from Benfica in 2023, spent last season on loan at Juventus Next Gen, where he scored two goals in 28 appearances. Semedo is under contract at the Stadium of Light until 2028, but with first-team opportunities limited under Régis Le Bris, Sunderland and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman have sanctioned the temporary switch to aid his development.

With less than a week until the deadline, Sunderland’s recruitment team remain active on multiple fronts as they seek to add top-level quality before September 1 while trimming the squad through loans and exits. The Black Cats are back in action on Tuesday night in the Carabao Cup against Huddersfield Town before facing Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, with both games taking place at the Stadium of Light

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