Free agent Arbenit Xhemajli could be on his way to the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland viewing the young defender as a player with Premier League potential, according to the Chronicle.
With just weeks remaining until the new League One season gets underway, the Black Cats are hard at work as they look to construct a promotion-winning squad on a budget shrunk by an ongoing financial crisis.
As Coventry City showed very recently, you do not need an endless supply of cash or an oil-pumping oligarch to thrive in the third tier.
And Sunderland have already made two inspired additions to Parkinson’s squad this summer without spending a penny in transfer fees, bringing Bailey Wright back to Wearside while snapping up Aiden O’Brien from Millwall.
According to the Echo, Sunderland have two more free agents in their sights – former Ipswich Town loanee Luke Garbutt and the recently-departed Burton Albion forward Scott Fraser, who produced nine goals and 14 assists in League One across 2019/20.
Xhemajli could be the most astute addition of them all, however.
While Sunderland appear to be prioritising tried and trusted League One talent, Xhemajli is a target which has emerged right out of the blue.
A 22-year-old, Swiss-born Kosovo international, Xhemajli is available for absolutely nothing after his contract at NE Xamax came to an end.
Clearly, Sunderland are not afraid to look into the left-field for bargain signings and, according to The Chronicle, they believe Xhemajli is a player with the ability to thrive in England’s top flight one day in the future.
A place in the Championship would do for now.
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