Sunderland boss David Moyes is looking to bolster his defensive options and that could pave the way for Lamina Kone to join West Ham United or Everton.
Sunderland manager David Moyes
Sunderland may have got their first win of the season at Bournemouth on Saturday but under pressure Moyes knows his side must improve defensively if they are to stand any chance of survival.
The Mirror reports that the former Manchester United boss will follow up the club’s interest in one of the stars of Euro 2016 in January with a bid for Dynamo Kiev’s Croatian international defender Domagoj Vida.
According to the report, the Wearsiders had him watched against Benfica in the Champions League last week.
Croatia’s Domagoj Vida in action
Vida has less than two years left on his contract and the Mirror says Sunderland are eyeing up a £6 million move.
The 27-year-old former Bayer Leverkusen man was a key figure for Croatia as they impressed at Euro 2016 and established themselves as early dark horse before being eliminated by Portugal in the last 16.
Should Moyes be successful it could pave the way for Lamina Kone to leave which will alert suitors Slaven Bilic and Ronald Koeman.
Sunderland’s Lamine Kone
Kone – who has been criticised for his performances and attitude by pundits and fans alike this season – was linked with a big money move to the Toffees in the summer and even handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through the deal, as reported by the Guardian at the time.
The Ivory Coast defender, who was signed from the French side Lorient last January for around £5m, was believed to have been the subject of a £17m bid from Everton.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman with West Ham United boss Slaven Bilic
The Mirror also recently credited the Hammers with an interest in signing Kone this January as Bilic looks to arrest the club’s alarming slide in his second season at the helm.
West Ham sold James Tomkins to Crystal Palace for £10m in the summer, a move which now looks a major mistake and they could face having to reinvest that money to sign Kone.
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