Sunderland want to beat Burnley to seal Aston Villa star transfer
Regis Le Bris has a big job ahead of him this summer in preparing Sunderland for life in the Premier League.
It hasn’t been the strongest of starts to the transfer window for the Black Cats, with Jobe Bellingham set to leave the Stadium of Light for Borussia Dortmund.
With Tommy Watson also on the move and the likes of Chris Rigg and Dan Ballard attracting interest from elsewhere, Le Bris will be keen to turn his attentions to possible arrivals instead.
Sunderland keen on Alex Moreno
Although Sunderland had their eyes on the top end of the Championship table throughout the season, going into the play-offs, they were certainly not the favourites.
A dip in form in the final run of the season led to concerns over the Black Cats, but they had what it took to see off Coventry City in the semi-finals and then Sheffield United at Wembley.
Now that promotion has been achieved, though, Le Bris needs to add experience to what was a fairly young side competing in the second tier.
According to French news outlet Foot Mercato on their transfer blog (9 June, 16:58), Alex Moreno could help to do just that.
Moreno spent the season on loan at Nottingham Forest from Aston Villa, where he made 15 appearances across the campaign.
It is stated that Sunderland are interested in the 32-year-old this summer, ready to rival Burnley, with Real Betis and Real Sociedad also in the race.
The left-back is about to enter the final year of his contract at Villa Park and would be available for a fee of just over £5million.
Sunderland could be more ambitious
As the Black Cats look ahead to life in the Premier League, Le Bris will be well aware that there is plenty of work to be done to strengthen his side.
Therefore, looking towards players who have experience at Premier League level already and can be a wiser head in the dressing room isn’t a bad idea.
However, Sunderland also need to look at players who have plenty to add, and it’s questionable whether Moreno fits that profile.
The most appearances he has made in a season within the last three campaigns is 21, suggesting he will not be ready to play week in, week out.
| Season | Appearances |
| 2024/25 | 15 |
| 2023/24 | 21 |
| 2022/23 | 19 |
With his contract up in 2026, this will be Aston Villa’s chance to cash in too and with their own financial worries, they will be keen to stand firm on their asking price.
With a club record fee for Bellingham giving the Black Cats a boost in the cash pot, they could surely be looking at more convincing options.