SAFC Rumours

We didn't sign Burstow and were never likely to.

The others may fail or may not, we'll see, Bennette isn't a striker, neither is Mundle.

As I say this is mainly opinions but you're way off with Poveda who, incidentally, isn't a striker either. He isn't injured and doesn't have a particular history of injuries, no more than Ballard who you wouldn't say was injury prone. Whatever the case it bears no relevance to the strikers we're currently looking to sign, totally different players.

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Enzo Bardeli to Sunderland transfer latest as Kristjaan Speakman linked with triple deal

James Copley

The latest Sunderland transfer news from around the web ahead of this week’s deadline

As the transfer window enters its final throes, Sunderland are being linked with Enzo Bardeli alongside two attackers.

Earlier in the window, Foot Mercato stated Sunderland, Real Valladolid, Lecce, Metz, AZ Alkmaar, Atlanta and an unnamed German and Ligue 1 club had all been tracking the 23-year-old.

According to a new story from La Voix Des Sports, FC Metz opened discussions with Bardeli's entourage regarding a move to the club. They also add that Sunderland are still monitoring the situation alongside three Dutch clubs. La Voix Des Sports has indicated that Bardeli could extend his contract in the coming weeks with his current club Dunkerque.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is thought to still be keen on attacking pair Alexandre Menday and Roko Simic. The Black Cats want more attacking reinforcements before the end of the window with Mendy and Simic heavily linked with moves to Wearside before the window ends.

Caen centre forward Mendy has been linked with a move to Wearside for several weeks now, and has made no secret of his desire to leave his current club this summer. Earlier in the week, Mendy’s agent gave a statement to French outlet Foot Mercato in which he openly claimed that the 30-year-old is still actively seeking a switch to the Stadium of Light in the coming days. Mendy then delivered another interview of his own last week reiterating his desire to join Sunderland.

Mendy’s agent said last week: “He said: "Alex is still determined to join Sunderland, there are about ten days left, we will not give up, our determination is intact. We remain positive and we are counting on the new management [of Caen] to unblock this situation."

Red Bull Salzburg striker Simic has one year left on his contract at the club and is expected to make a move before the end of the summer window. Simic is said to be bound for Wearside where he will join subject to a medical and final talks, though club sources have suggested that a deal is not that advanced at this stage.

Sunderland are also expected to sanction several departures with Régis Le Bris confirming that Abdoullah Ba and Adil Aouchiche could leave.

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Leicester City boss Steve Cooper delivers Tom Cannon transfer verdict amid Sunderland interest

Jason Jones

Sunderland have reportedly made a move to sign Tom Cannon from Leicester City.

Leicester City manager Steve Cooper has hinted that reported Sunderland target Tom Cannon’s future at the club is likely to hinge on the business that the Foxes are able to conduct between now and the end of the transfer window.

Reports emerged on Monday suggesting that the Black Cats have tabled a bid of around £5 million for the striker, with several other Championship clubs credited with an interest in making late approaches to prise him away from the King Power Stadium this week. Norwich City, Stoke City, and Sheffield United are all also said to be keen.

The 21-year-old Republic of Ireland international signed for Leicester from Everton last year, but has since made just three starts and 13 substitute appearances in the Midlands, scoring three goals and assisting two more in the process. Having been named on the bench for Leicester’s opening weekend draw with Tottenham Hotspur this season, the centre forward was omitted from Cooper’s squad entirely for Saturday’s defeat against Fulham. Indeed, since early March, Cannon has registered just 15 minutes of first team football.

And speaking last week, Cooper did not rule out the possibility of a departure, but did hint towards the need for incoming acquisitions at the King Power.

When asked about Cannon’s future, as quoted by the Leicester Mercury, he said: “I can better answer that when we know what the squad will end up looking like. For sure Tom’s a good young player who has a future in front of him. It’s our jobs as managers to put the best team out to win games, but it’s also to make sure we put the right programmes on for the younger players. We will do that with Tom. What that looks like at the moment I don’t know, but he’s very much part of today’s work. Until things change, that’s how it will be. But I’m probably better to answer that one closer to the end of the window.”

So far this summer, Leicester have signed just one out-and-out centre forward in the form of Jordan Ayew. The Ghanaian joins Jamie Vardy, Patson Daka, and Cannon as Cooper’s realistic options at the point of attack. Speaking earlier this month, Cooper had suggested that his side were close to two attacking arrivals, with one of those being Czech international Adam Hlozek, but at the time of writing, it would appear that both agreements have subsequently fallen through.

Addressing the broader prospect of young players leaving his squad between now and Friday’s deadline over the weekend, Cooper also added: “It’s possible. It’s also possible… there’s a lot of good young players, some that have been training with us regularly, some that have been back and forth, and some that we’re fully aware of that are in the under-21s programme.

“Loans are an important part of development. There are some players we see playing for us in the future, in the first team, who we think a loan would be the right thing for them. We always make these decisions on what’s right for the player. We don’t want to keep players with us to make up numbers. You have to have cover and strength in depth, but if they’re here for strength in depth, it means you’re happy for them to play in the team. We’ll make some good decisions on what we do with some of the young players and the loans they have or don’t have. Sometimes it’s right to not send them on loan and instead keep them in training and develop them internally.”

While Sunderland’s bid for Cannon is a permanent one, it is not yet known how much Leicester would demand before considering a sale - although The Sun report that it will take a fee closer to £7 million. It is understood that the Foxes paid around £7.5 million to lure the player away from Everton 12 months ago.

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Fresh twist in Sunderland's Alexandre Mendy transfer hunt as Caen confirm striker signing

Sunderland continue to be linked with a move for SM Caen striker Alexandre Mendy.

SM Caen, the current employers of Sunderland target Alexandre Mendy, have confirmed the arrival of a new striker.

The Black Cats have been linked with a swoop for the 30-year-old for some time now, but have been largely frustrated in their efforts to lure him to Wearside. Much of the complication in agreeing a deal for Mendy has stemmed from the arrival of new owners at Caen, with the Normandy-based outfit now owned by a consortium fronted by Real Madrid icon Kylian Mbappe.

Nevertheless, Mendy himself has made no secret of his own desire to join Sunderland before the transfer window closes on Friday, and has released a number of statements reiterating his intention to leave France in the coming days. The most recent of these came over the weekend, with the 30-year-old sitting down for an in-depth interview with SportaCaen.fr in which he said: “My will has not changed, Sunderland has not withdrawn. Sunderland is always ready to welcome me and I am always ready to join Sunderland.”

He added:

Now, however, there has been yet another update in the protracted saga, with Caen confirming the signing of striker Kalifa Coulibaly on Tuesday. It is understood that the 33-year-old has penned a one-year deal after a period of being without a club. It is unclear at this stage as to whether Coulibaly’s arrival will soften Caen’s stance on the potential sale of Mendy to Sunderland.

This is all interesting stuff and it seems the club are taking all this quite calmly.

It seems the days of Sunderland being bullied, in the transfer market, are over.

Cannon knows the division and would fit straight into RLB's high pressing game imo.

I still believe Mendy will come so that gives up the right options for different games and situations.

It's all looking good.