Sunderland talks to sign Matthis Abline conclude as £43.3m Wolves news emerges
Sunderland have been heavily linked with a move for Matthis Abline as they look to bolster their frontline this summer.
The 22-year-old hit nine goals for Nantes in Ligue 1 last term, and was also part of the France U21 team that lost in the semi-finals of their recent European Championship.
Sunderland have been plotting a move for Abline for several weeks now, and have previously seen an offer of £17.25million knocked back by their French counterparts.
Regis Le Bris and Co. are still keen to add to the squad in the final few weeks of the window, and they have now seemingly learned the reality of their chase to sign Abline.
Sunderland cool Abline interest after talks as Wolves quoted £43.3m
Sunderland had been understood to hold an edge in the race to sign Abline previously, but it now looks as though they have decided to take a step back in their attempts to sign him.
He has been a player who has attracted the interest of the Wearsiders for a lengthy period now, but they appear to have reached a natural conclusion in their chase for him.
- Sunderland previously saw a £17.25m bid rejected
- They had held talks with Abline about a move but have now taken a step back
- Sunderland have recently added Chelsea loanee Marc Guiu to their attack instead
The Black Cats are understood to have previously been in talks with the striker, but have now cooled their interest, according to the print edition of the Sunday Mirror (10 August, pg. 71).
That update comes amid the news that Nantes are believed to have quoted Wolves a lofty asking price of £43.3m to sign their star.
The Ligue 1 side are looking to spark a bidding war for Abline, with the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt and Paris FC also showing an interest in prizing Abline away.
Sunderland need a proven Premier League striker
Sunderland are lining up a sensational move for former Newcastle star Aleksandar Mitrovic, and have reportedly already been offered the chance to sign him from Al-Hilal this summer.
The Serbian would be the perfect foil to the young talent that Le Bris already has at his disposal in the final third, and crucially, he possesses a proven track record of finding the back of the net in the Premier League.
Abline is undoubtedly an exciting prospect, but the Mackems are already blessed with an array of those kinds of players, and they are lacking an older option who knows what it takes to compete in the top flight.
They recently added Granit Xhaka as a veteran leader in their midfield, and it is unsurprising to see them target a similar calibre of player in Mitrovic to lead the line.
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