Sunderland have been linked with a raid for Harry Winks
The Black Cats made a stunning return to life in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, beating West Ham 3-0 at the Stadium of Light courtesy of goals from Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard, and Wilson Isidor, with Regis Le Bris handing out eight first team debuts after a busy summer of recruitment.
But with a fortnight left until the transfer window closes, the expectation is that Sunderland will still look to bring in more fresh faces. On Sunday, the club announced the arrival of defender Nordi Mukiele, and according to online outlet On The Minute, they may also be on the hunt for reinforcements in the centre of the park.
What has been said about Sunderland’s apparent transfer interest in Leicester City midfielder Harry Winks?
According to a new report, the Black Cats are the latest club to consider a swoop for Leicester star Winks, who is attracting interest after entering the final year of his contract at the King Power Stadium.
The 29-year-old is also said to be a target for Premier League rivals Brentford, as well as continental outfits Valencia and Fiorentina. The 10-cap England international has previous experience in Serie A, having spent a stint on loan with Sampdoria in 2022/23.
Since signing for Leicester from boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur in 2023, Winks has registered 76 appearances in all competitions, and has featured in both of the Foxes’ Championship fixtures so far this season. But with his contract set to expire next summer, it is understood that Marti Cifuentes’ men could be forced into a sale over the coming weeks to avoid losing him on a free transfer further down the line.
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What has Kristjaan Speakman said about Sunderland’s transfer plans over the remainder of the transfer window?
Speaking to Guy Mowbray on Football Focus prior to Saturday’s win over West Ham, sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said the club would continue working until deadline day to ensure Le Bris has the strongest squad possible at his disposal – while stressing the importance of balancing ambition with long-term security. “No, it is a process all the way through to the end of the month. I mean, we're trying to build the best squad for the Premier League that we can do.
“We think we've had a really good start at that. Obviously, today will be a good test for us, the first game, but we'll be working away through to deadline day to try to make sure that the team is the right team and the squad is the right squad. Fans will be excited, obviously keen to see the new faces, but I think there'll be a few as well who want a bit of reassurance.
“You know, we've seen history not be kind to some clubs who've had a real go. So it's bound to be a bit of a gamble, it always is. But how much is the club future-proof to make sure everything will be okay in the long run? Yeah, we've always tried to look at every outcome when we make decisions.
“We're always looking at what's the short-term, and obviously for us that's the Premier League season, and obviously what the medium and long-term is. So we certainly have always been well-planned with that. I think you've always got to look at all the different outcomes, whether they're positive or negative.
“We're all geared up for the positive. You can spend a lot of time, I think, talking about the challenge and the difficulty. We've tried to assess the focus on what the solutions are and how we can build a really positive team for the Premier League.”
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