Matthis Abline was linked with Sunderland earlier this summer, and continues to find himself at the centre of speculation in France
Reported Sunderland transfer target Matthis Abline was supposedly given a ten-minute dressing down by Nantes head coach Luis Castro over the weekend amid ongoing tensions surrounding his future in France.
The 22-year-old has been the subject of widespread speculation this summer, with various updates in late June claiming that he was a target for the Black Cats, as well as Premier League rivals Brentford and Burnley.
More recently, online outlet Caught Offside have suggested that Leeds United have emerged as the frontrunners for Abline’s signature, with negotiations between Daniel Farke’s side and Nantes reportedly already underway. For their part, the French club are understood to be reluctant to sell, and reportedly value their player at around £34.6 million, while he is open to the prospect of an exit.
And further doubt over Abline’s situation with his current employers has been raised by a fresh report from RMC Sport, outlining an incident between the forward and his boss, Castro.
What is the latest news on reported Sunderland target Matthis Abline?
As per the continental outlet, Abline was the target of vocal criticism in the aftermath of Nantes’ Ligue 1 opener against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain at the weekend.
The striker started on the bench in that match, coming on in the 59th minute. But despite his relatively brief cameo, RMC claim that Castro took it upon himself to spend ten minutes in the dressing room after his side’s 1-0 defeat picking apart Abline’s performance in front of his teammates and Nantes’ backroom staff.
The French outlet writes that the aim of this was to help Abline face up to his responsibilities on the pitch, particularly out of possession. It is unclear, however, as to how well the public appraisal was received by the attacker, particularly when there are already tensions between himself and the club. It is also stated the Abline’s teammates were surprised by Castro’s condemnation, especially given the ongoing attempts to convince the France U21 international to stay at the club.
What has Matthis Abline said about his future amid Sunderland transfer links?
Speaking to L’Equipe while away at the U21s European Championship earlier this summer, Abline was quizzed on Nantes’ exorbitant valuation of him, as well as apparent transfer interest from Marseille, which has since seemingly fizzled out.
He said: “Yeah, I saw that [laughs]. I don’t really know how to react. He has his opinion, so there you go. For now, I am with the U21s and I am feeling good. In terms of my personal situation, we’ll see later.”
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Speaking about Marseille directly, he added: “Tempted by OM? Lots of things tempt me [smiles]. Today, I’m not looking too far ahead. I’m at the Euros. That is all.”
Abline started his career at Stade Rennais, spending loan spells with Le Havre and AJ Auxerre. He signed for Nantes in a deal worth around £8.5 million last summer having spent a temporary stint at the club first. Last season, he registered 11 goals and two assists across 36 outings in all competitions, and has scored 32 times in 138 senior appearances over the course of his career thus far.
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