Sunderland are keen to make another couple of additions before the end of the transfer window
Jhon Lucumí is keen on a potential move to Sunderland before the end of the transfer window, according to the latest reports.
Transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio reports that the Serie A club are standing firm in resisting interest in the Colombia international, after the Black Cats lodged a bid for the 27-year-old. Lucumí did have a release clause in his contract, but that expired this summer and so Bologna are standing firm for the time being. It remains to be seen whether their stance changes before the end of the window, given that Lucumí is out of contract next summer.
Sunderland are keen to add another high-calibre option to their defensive ranks, which could in turn allow Jenson Seelt to go out on loan to NEC. Given Seelt's progress over the course of pre-season and Luke O'Nien's return from injury next month, it is not guaranteed that they will make another move should a deal for Lucumí not progress. If Lucumí's stance on the move remains unchanged, Bologna will have to decide whether to risk potentially losing the defender for nothing when his contract expires.
Meanwhile, the Black Cats fear they could be priced out of a move for Leicester City winger Adbul Fatawu. The Ghana international has emerged as a potential target for the Black Cats as they search for a versatile winger to add depth in that department, but the BBC report that they could be put off by a valuation in the region of £30 million. The Foxes do not want to sell the 21-year-old and their position could be strengthened if Bilal El-Khanouss joins Crystal Palace. El Khanouss has previously been of interest to Sunderland but is emerging as a potential replacement should Crystal Palace sell Eberechi Eze to Tottenham Hotspur.
The BBC additionally report that Sunderland are also monitoring FC Red Bull Salzburg's U21 Danish international Adam Daghim. Daghim is primarily a centre forward but played a lot of his football off the right wing last season, and played off the left on occasions earlier in his career.
What Kristjaan Speakman has said about Sunderland’s transfer plans
Speaking to Football Focus before Sunderland's win over West Ham on Saturday, Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said the club would remain active in the transfer market until the end of the month.
"No, it is a process all the way through to the end of the month," Speakman said.
"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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