Sunderland have reportedly submitted an official bid for Jhon Lucumí.
The Colombian international has been repeatedly linked with the Black Cats over the course of the summer transfer window, with Regis Le Bris’ side undergoing an ambitious recruitment drive in recent weeks as they look to build a squad capable of surviving in the Premier League.
And to that end, renowned transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has suggested that the club are now pushing ahead with an offer for Lucumí. Writing on X, the reporter said: “Sunderland submit official bid to Bologna for Colombian centre back Jhon Lucumí. Lucumí, keen on joining SAFC project to try new chapter in Premier League. Bologna want to keep Lucumí after his release clause expired, clear intention not to let him go.”
Last week, Sunderland completed a deal to sign Paraguayan talent Omar Alderete from La Liga side Getafe, with the centre-back making his debut from the bench in Saturday’s 3-0 opening day victory over West Ham. The Black Cats then confirmed the arrival of fellow defender Nordi Mukiele on a permanent transfer from Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday.
What has Kristjaan Speakman said about Sunderland’s transfer plans over the remainder of the transfer window?
Speaking on Football Focus prior to Saturday’s win over West Ham, Sunderland sporting director Speakman said the club would continue working until deadline day to ensure head coach Le Bris has the strongest squad possible at his disposal – while stressing the importance of balancing ambition with long-term security. He said: “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.
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“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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