The right-back has had two separate stints on loan at Le Havre in the past two seasons, and the the Black Cats are now in discussions with the French top flight club over a permanent move.
Pembele hasn't played for Sunderland since April, 2024, and has never been in the plans of head coach Regis Le Bris.
He spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Le Havre, but a permanent deal couldn't be agreed last summer. However, he then linked up with the Ligue 1 club again in January on another loan move and, although he only made two league starts, he featured regularly from the bench.
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Le Havre are now understood to be interested in making the deal permanent and discussions with Sunderland are ongoing, but an agreement hasn't yet been finalised.
Sunderland are working to offload a number of senior players who aren't in Le Bris' thinking.
Nazariy Rusyn and Milan Aleksic have already left the club this summer, and work is ongoing to engineer moves for several more.
As well as Pembele, Abdoullah Ba is another player who is obviously available to leave.
Alan Browne, Leo Hjelde and Aji Alese all spent time out on loan in the Championship last season and will be allowed to move on this summer.
Sunderland will also look for a loan move for striker Ahmed Abdullahi, who still hasn't made a first team appearance for the Black Cats.