Sunderland need new signings this summer – who could they target from the Bundesliga?
Hamburg defender Johan Djourou in action against Borussia Dortmund
Sunderland are hurtling towards relegation, and entering the Easter weekend, they lie ten points adrift of safety with just seven games to play.
After years of miraculously staving off relegation, this appears to be the year that Sunderland finally drop into the Championship, with David Moyes seemingly unable to mount a late revival.
If – or even when – Sunderland do suffer relegation, they will need to be smart in the transfer market, both to re-tool a squad lacking in quality, and to replace some players who could leave the club.
Sunderland may have to cast their net far and wide to find new signings, and with that in mind, here are three players the Black Cats could target who are currently playing in the Bundesliga…
Johan Djourou: The former Arsenal and Birmingham City defender is no stranger to English football, and has been playing regularly in Germany with Hamburg following a 2014 move to the Bundesliga club. Now 30, Djourou is out of contract this summer, and with Sunderland needing a centre back – whether Lamine Kone is sold or not – they could do worse than snap up the Swiss international on a free transfer.
Werder Bremen’s Aron Johannsson
Nabil Bahoui: Back in December, Aftonbladet in Sweden reported that Sunderland were interested in signing winger Bahoui – another Hamburg player. The 26-year-old wide man starred with AIK Solna in his native Sweden, scoring 32 goals in 75 games to earn a move to Al-Ahli, and then Hamburg in 2016. This term, Bahoui has played just one Bundesliga game, and needs a fresh start, with Sunderland allegedly keen. Bahoui, a goalscoring winger with quality in the final third, could be a diamond in the rough for the Black Cats having been cast aside by Hamburg.
Aron Johannsson: Once prolific in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar, scoring 39 goals in 81 games, Johannsson has endured a miserable time in Germany, compounded by injuries. The United States international has just 15 appearances and three goals to his name for Werder Bremen, and has started just twice this season. To save his international career, Johansson must move on this summer, and Sunderland – who have recently used other Americans such as Jozy Altidore, Lynden Gooch and DeAndre Yedlin, should be taking a look, as the 26-year-old can offer pace and finishing ability when fit.
Who would you like to see Sunderland sign this summer?
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