Dan Neil exit looms as Sunderland eye move for midfielder prohibited from playing in home country
Sunderland could look to part ways with Dan Neil in January.
Sunderland are expected to make some additions in January, though the priority is likely to be on finding new clubs for those who have been afforded very little gametime.
Neil fits that bill, having yet to start a Premier League game for the Black Cats, while also having played just 92 minutes of football this season, 90 of which were in the Carabao Cup.
Given his contract situation, the Black Cats may be looking to move him on in the coming weeks, and after the latest reports from Italy, there could potentially be a swap deal on the cards, to some effect.
Roma wanted to sign Dan Neil in the summer
Neil captained his boyhood club to promotion in May, but as a result of the arrivals of Noah Sadiki and Granit Xhaka, he has been cast aside by Regis Le Bris.
Roma were linked with a move to sign Neil in the summer, but the Italian giants moved to sign Neil El Aynaoui instead, who, ironically, was linked with a move to the Stadium of Light himself.
Now, reports from Italy have emerged suggesting that Sunderland are interested in signing Edoardo Bove, with Nottingham Forest also said to be keen.
Leggo have reported that the Premier League is his most likely destination, with the 23-year-old prohibited from playing in Italy.
Roma have reportedly agreed to terminate his contract so that he can find a new club, though if their interest remains in Neil, a verbal agreement could potentially be reached that would see the two midfielders effectively swap clubs.
Why is Edoardo Bove unable to continue playing career in Italy?
Bove was incredibly highly-rated at Roma, but disaster struck the midfielder when he suffered a cardiac arrest in December 2024.
Medics were on the scene immediately, and the Italian, thankfully, was able to make a full recovery.
However, due to the health scare, Bove was required to have an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) fitted.
As per Serie A laws, Bove is prohibited from playing in Italy due to the ICD implantation, the same situation that Christian Eriksen faced before he joined Brentford.
Bove has since returned to training and is said to be in good health.