They say every cloud has a silver lining and, in Sunderland’s case, the loss of talisman Jack Clarke to Ipswich Town at least gives the Black Cats plenty of money to play with in the final few days of the summer window.
Premier League newcomers Ipswich won the race to sign Clarke last week. Kieran McKenna’s side paid an initial £15 million, rising £20 million with add-ons.
There was an undeniable poetic vibe to the manner in which Sunderland saw off Burnley on Saturday, then, not to mention the identity of their matchwinner.
Ex-Tottenham starlet Romaine Mundle had spent much of his Black Cats career on the bench, twiddling his thumbs as Clarke tied Championship full-backs in knots.
In Sunderland’s first game without the former Leeds United wonderkid, Mundle started in Clarke’s old left wing role and rifled in the only goal of the game with the sort of fizzing finish last season’s top scorer made his trademark on Wearside.
And, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Portsmouth, Regis Le Bris’ early-season pacesetters could have a few new faces joining Mundle in the red-and-white roster.
Sunderland close in on Milan Aleksic and Salis Abdul Samed
The Chronicle reports that Sunderland are set to seal a deal in the region of £3 million for Serbian teenager Milan Aleksic.
Currently at Radnicki and previously linked with both Chelsea and Benfica, the 18-year-old midfielder will become the most expensive signing of the Le Bris era so far.
And joining Aleksic at the Stadium of Light could be Salis Abdul Samed.
L’Equipe claims that Samed – another midfielder – is likely to join on loan with talks between Sunderland and Ligue 1 outfit RC Lens progressing nicely.
Samed has now been left out of the Lens squad for Thursday’s Europa Conference League qualifier with Panathinaikos.
French publication Le11 HDF, meanwhile, insist that there is no suggestion of an injury. As such, it can be presumed that Lens have omitted Samed in order to avoid an injury that would scupper his move across the Channel.
Capped 19 times by Ghana, Samed featured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
A defensively-minded midfielder – Samed had been earmarked to replace Cheick Doucoure at Lens following his switch to Crystal Palace – he was linked with the likes of Roma and Leicester City in the recent past.
A tidy distributor and a decent ball-winner, Samed is a player former Lorient boss Le Bris will know from his time in France. The 24-year-old joined Lens from Clermont for a fee of around £4 million, though the reports suggesting that there will be no purchase clause in his Sunderland contract.
Alexandre Mendy still hopes for Championship switch
The Black Cats could also look to bring in another striker despite the arrival of Wilson Isidor from Zenit St Petersburg and Eliezer Mayenda’s strong start to the campaign.
HITC understands there is interest in Red Bull Salzburg’s £5 million-rated attacker Roko Simic.
Caen’s wantaway talisman Alexandre Mendy has not given up hope of a move to Sunderland either, with this particular transfer saga having rumbled on for weeks while causing no shortage of frustration in both camps.
“It’s clear to me and to everyone that I want to go to Sunderland. The new management must respect the commitments made by the club to me. If I train today, it is to be ready to start this new challenge with Sunderland,” Mendy, who won Ligue 2’s Golden Boot last term, tells Foot Mercato.
“I repeat it, but I said goodbye my teammates. I want to leave having given the best of myself. I leave on the best note.
“Caen and the fans will always be in my heart, but my head is at Sunderland.”
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