Sunderland made an ‘Official Bid’ For Serie A defender as Sunderland are stepping up their search for defensive reinforcements…

Sunderland has made an ‘Official Bid’ for a Serie A defender as they intensify their search for defensive reinforcements.

Sunderland transfer update: Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the club’s interest in a Serie A defender, with a bid expected soon.

Sunderland is increasing its efforts to find defensive reinforcements.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Sunderland is preparing to make an initial offer for Bologna defender Jhon Lucumí.

Lucumí has been pinpointed by Sunderland as a potential signing as they aim to strengthen their defense ahead of their return to the Premier League after an eight-year hiatus.

The defender has a release clause set at €28 million, which is thought to be nearing expiration, and Sunderland is reportedly planning to negotiate a deal outside of this clause. They are likely to encounter considerable competition for the 27-year-old, who has been strongly linked to a move to Serie A club AS Roma this summer. Lucumí is a highly experienced player, having regularly featured in Serie A over the past three seasons following a lengthy period in the Belgian Pro League with Genk. He also boasts substantial international experience with Colombia.

Following a busy start to the transfer window, during which Sunderland has signed six players and set a new transfer record, strengthening the defense has become a top priority for the club as they evaluate their next moves in the window.

The Black Cats are currently lacking in defensive depth, even with Reinildo expected to join his new teammates later this week, as Luke O’Nien, Aji Alese, Dennis Cirkin, and Leo Hjelde are all anticipated to miss the first three matches of the Premier League season due to injuries. Head coach Régis Le Bris confirmed after the club’s first pre-season friendly against South Shields that adding defensive players is a priority.

Lucumí has consistently been a key player for Bologna, who have made a significant impact in Serie A over the past few seasons, clinching the Coppa Italia title last season. His talent is likely familiar to Sunderland’s new director of football, Florent Ghisolfi, who served as sporting director at AS Roma last season.

In addition, Sky Sports has corroborated reports from L’Equipe that Sunderland is keeping an eye on the availability of Leicester City’s Bilal El-Khannouss this summer. Several clubs from both the Premier League and Europe are anticipated to pursue the 21-year-old if he decides to leave this summer.

Kristjaan Speakman has outlined Sunderland’s transfer strategy for the remainder of the transfer window.

In a conversation with Sky Sports last week, Sunderland’s sporting director Kristjaan Speakman confirmed that the club is still aiming to add multiple players to their roster.

“We still have several more players that we need to bring in for specific positions on the field,” Speakman stated.

“I’ll keep that somewhat vague for you, but we must strive to identify the right players.

We have never acted impulsively in our decision-making. We aim to remain composed, but it’s about balancing calmness with the urgency to find [players].

It’s also crucial to ensure we have the right individuals and to act decisively.

“Maintaining momentum is vital. We want to ensure we start strong. We recognized that we had three or four players we believed were suitable, and we have made efforts to secure them.

I think this reflects the ambition of the ownership and the club’s direction.