Lille winger Alan Virginius is a target for Sunderland a year after he reportedly had reservations about a move to their Premier League-based, North East neighbours Newcastle United.
Hindsight, as they say, is a wonderful thing. And how Alan Virginius must wish he could have glimpsed the future when opting to join Lille rather than, say, Newcastle United.
Newcastle, Le10 Sport say, were keen on Virginius during the summer of 2020. Ditto Bayer Leverkusen, Anderlecht and Club Brugge.
The then-Sochaux starlet wanted to stay put and continue his development in France, however, eventually putting pen to paper with Lille presumably in the hope of picking up where Eden Hazard, Nicolas Pepe, Rafael Leao and co left off.
Sunderland now want Alan Virginius
Virignius’ Lille career is proof, though, that not even Les Dogues – a side with such an impressive track record when unearthing attacking gems – get it right every time. If Hazard was the diamond in Lille’s crown, then Virginius has been more like fools’ gold, playing only 71 minutes of Ligue 1 football in 2023/24.
A departure feels now likely before the month is out.
“He has the possibility of playing for another club. It will be very difficult for him to play here,” Lille boss Paulo Fonsenca said. “He is young. He needs to play.
“I spoke with him and I think the best solution is for him to play for another club.”
Newcastle face Sunderland in FA Cup 3rd round
According to Foot Mercato, there is once again interest from a Sunderland side who saw a £4.3 million bid rejected back in August (RMC Sport), a player who could have joined one North East giant a year-and-a-half ago now a target for their most fierce rivals.
Sunderland have done plenty of shopping in the Ligue 1 market of late. Timothee Pembele, Eduard Michut, Eliezer Mayenda, Abdoullah Ba, Adil Aouchiche and Isaac Lihadji all joined the Black Cats from clubs on the other side of the Channel.
Sunderland face Newcastle in a Tyne Wear FA Cup third round victory this weekend. And it cannot be ruled out that a player who was on the Magpies radar not so long ago finds himself wearing the red-and-white stripes of thier neighbours before the month is out.
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