Transfer news: Continental giants weigh up January raids for £21m Sunderland star and Liverpool attacker

Sunderland winger Simon Adingra is one of several attacking players on the radar of Italian giants Juventus heading into the January transfer window, according to reports.

The Ivorian talent only signed for the Black Cats over the summer, and has found opportunities relatively hard to come by over the first half of the campaign. At the time of writing, Adingra has made just six starts in the Premier League, although two of those have come in Sunderland’s last two outings against his former club Brighton and Hove Albion and Leeds United.

Indeed, the 23-year-old is starting to show something akin to his best form as well, with Sunday’s clash against Daniel Farke’s Whites also marking the occasion of his first goal in red and white.

But despite his increasing importance under Regis Le Bris, Italian outlet Gazzetta claim that Adingra has emerged as a prospective target for Juve this winter. It is understood that the Turin club are on the hunt for reinforcements in the final third, and have consequently identified a number of possible options.

In the Premier League, Adingra is of interest, as are Kevin Schade and Mikkel Damsgaard of Brentford, and Federico Chiesa of Liverpool, who signed for the English champions from Juve last year. Further afield, Real Madrid youngster Gonzalo Garcia - who has also been linked with Sunderland at various points - is garnering admiration too.

Whether Juventus have the financial might to tempt any of the clubs mentioned above into a sale, however, remains to be seen. It is suggested that, at best, the Italian outfit could put forward the prospect of a loan agreement with an option-to-buy clause attached - something which feels unlikely to satisfy Sunderland given that they paid around £21 million for Adingra less than six months ago.

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What has been said about Simon Adingra’s performance against Leeds United?

Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport, pundit Marco Gabbiadini said: “The game, he [Adingra] got quite a lot of ball, you know, we focused on that wing. [Dennis] Cirkin was getting forward and supporting him, and obviously [Granit] Xhaka likes to build up from his little position just outside the box. It was a very good battle. And, you know, obviously with [Joe] Rodon getting a kick and having to go off, there was all sorts going on on that side.

“But look, he's a sort of a wispy kind of winger, isn't he? You know, he's not super powerful. He's got tricky feet. He's got to get people isolated and go at them and take the opportunity when he gets one-on-one to get past them. Because I think quite often Leeds worked hard and got two or three around him at times. He's not the kind of player who's going to burst through with a powerful sort of surge.

“But his goal was a beauty and he took it really well. Great little passing move and bent it right in the place the goalkeeper just couldn't catch it, couldn't get a hand on it. It's been a strange season for him. There's been a lot of plaudits for a lot of players, and he's probably one of the ones who's maybe missed out on that and hasn't really contributed those key moments.

“We need to see more of those from him. And, you know, he would have had an assist obviously if that Brobbey chance had gone in. But, yeah, that's the benchmark for those attacking players. They've got to be providing the chances and scoring goals now and again from those positions.”

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