Sunderland plan talks with two Premier League talents, including exciting Dutchman

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Leicester City and Newcastle United could both lose youngsters to Sunderland with Justen Kranthove and Nathan Harker in line for the Black Cats.

Sunderland are mulling over deals to sign two Premier League youngsters, according to The Chronicle, with Newcastle United goalkeeper Nathan Harker and Leicester City defender Justen Kranthove potentially set to join the Black Cats.

Just weeks after Phil Parkinson was being serenaded by a venomous chorus of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’, the former Bolton boss is starting to make the doubters look a little silly.

Sunderland are back in the play-offs with Parkinson belatedly getting the best out of a talented crop of players and, in Kyle Lafferty, Josh Scowen and Bailey Wright, the Wearsiders have three new players who should bring experience and quality to the Stadium of Light.

Both Scowen and Wright have earned promotion from League One before with Barnsley and Preston but, while they are proven at this level, Kranthove and Harker certainly aren’t.

Potential deals for two little-known youngsters have gone under the radar but, according to The Chronicle, Sunderland could announce a pair of new signings in the very near future.

Harker, a goalkeeper who has risen through the ranks at north-east neighbours Newcastle, featured for Sunderland’s reserves against Wigan on Monday. As did Kranthove, a Dutch centre-back who had a mixed night against The Latics, scoring a goal and conceding a penalty.

“Justen has tried his best and if it’s enough to stay and be part of what we are doing moving forward, we’ll be delighted with that; if not, we will wish him all the very best,” said youth coach Elliot Dickman. “The recruitment staff are quite busy but hopefully we’ll get some time to sit down with them today and make some decisions.”

“The decision we make won’t be made just on that one game – we’ll also look at how (Harker) did against Huddersfield last week, and how he has done in training.”

It is certainly refreshing to see Sunderland invest in youth with supporters bemoaning a lack of long-term planning at the Stadium of Light in recent seasons.