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A Premier League side is interested in Sunderland’s defensive duo ahead of summer transfer window, and EFL Analysis has profiled some potential Black Cats transfer targets.
Sunderland take on Coventry City on Friday evening in the Championship play-offs semi-final first leg at the CBS Arena.
The Black Cats camp will have been keeping a watchful eye on the opposite clash on Thursday evening at Ashton Gate, in which Bristol City were beaten 3-0 by Sheffield United, leaving the Robins a mountain to climb for the second leg.
Despite all eyes being on the season-defining play-offs campaign, the attention of supporters is also turning to the imminent transfer window, which is poised to be a turbulent one on Wearside regardless of their league status.
The latest Black Cats stars wanted by top flight clubs are full-back duo Trai Hume and Dennis Cirkin, with one Premier League side revealed this week to be keeping close watch on the pair.
Wolves interested in Sunderland duo Trai Hume and Dennis Cirkin
Molineux News revealed this week, via information from transfer expert Graeme Bailey, that Wolves are keeping close tabs on Cirkin, but they are one of several teams tracking the 23-year-old.
Cirkin, who came up under Jose Mourinho at Spurs, has only one year remaining on his current Sunderland contract, and extension talks have been shelved until the summer.
His teammate Hume has been one of the best Championship players this season, notching nine goal contributions from full-back, but was snubbed by the EFL for a Player of the Season nomination.
Both Hume and Cirkin’s impressive stints at Sunderland, amid their promotion push under Regis Le Bris, have caught the attention of Vitor Pereira as the Molineux outfit is expecting to be inundated with offers for full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri this summer.
| Trai Hume | Dennis Cirkin |
| Games played – 44 (43 starts) | Games played – 36 (30 starts) |
| Goals + assists – 3 + 6 | Goals + assists – 3 + 2 |
| Yellow cards – 11 (+ 1 red) | Yellow cards – 6 |
| Duels won – 259 | Duels won – 202 |
Wolves’ Tommy Doyle, touted as the “Jobe Bellingham replacement” for Sunderland, is of serious interest to the Black Cats this summer and could go the other way during any deals given Bellingham is courting attention from Borussia Dortmund.
In light of Wolves’ interest in the Sunderland duo, EFL Analysis has dissected some potential transfer target replacements if the full-back pair depart Wearside following the play-offs campaign.
Potential transfer targets for Sunderland at full-back
Axel Tuanzebe
Manchester United academy graduate Axel Tuanzebe would be a suitable right-back replacement for Hume, and could be available given Ipswich Town’s recent relegation back to the second tier.
27-year-old Tuanzebe made 19 Premier League appearances for Kieran McKenna this season, starting 17 of those, and his versatility, defensive acumen and physicality would bolster the Black Cats’ backline.
Bali Mumba
Bali Mumba recently suffered relegation from the Championship to League One with Plymouth Argyle, and would be a brilliant transfer option for Sunderland, to benefit from their third tier status and move for the 23-year-old full-back.
Englishman Mumba was a Sunderland academy graduate who made 10 appearances for the first team as a teenager before being regrettably sold to Norwich City.
Following Argyle’s relegation, Mumba could thus be keen on a return to the Championship and his boyhood club Sunderland, and would be a sensible option to replace Hume or Cirkin given his ample versatility on both flanks.
Ki-Jana Hoever
Dutchman Ki-Jana Hoever spent the season on loan in the French top flight from Wolves, and the 23-year-old notched 3 goal contributions in 29 appearances for Auxerre.
Given that Wolves are interested in two of Sunderland’s full-backs, seeing Hoever go the opposite way with some funds included would represent sensible business for the Black Cats, especially if they fail to turn the tide on their barren play-offs history and remain in the Championship next season.
Darline Yongwa
Left-back Darline Yongwa has been at Le Bris’ former club FC Lorient for the last three seasons, and the 24-year-old is therefore someone the Black Cats boss will have insider knowledge on, and could encourage Sunderland to sign the Cameroonian.
Yongwa has notched six goal contributions in 32 appearances in the French second tier this term to help secure Lorient’s promotion back to Ligue 1, and could be available for a smaller fee than expected given his current orange-and-blacks deal expires next summer.
Sunderland risk losing several of their best this summer, including Hume and Cirkin, if they fail to beat Frank Lampard’s side over two legs and the eventual opposite tie winner at Wembley.
Le Bris revealed this week the Black Cats hierarchy have compiled multiple lists of targets ahead of the summer window, and the four aforementioned full-backs would be stellar business from Sunderland if Wolves’ transfer interest materialises.