Sunderland linked with move for ‘exceptional’ £20m defender that they could have upper hand in signing

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Sunderland’s victory in the Championship play-off final has placed even more pressure on their recruitment in the summer transfer window.

With the red-and-white dust settling after their dramatic Wembley win, Sunderland are preparing for life back in the Premier League, after their 2-1 comeback victory over Sheffield United.

Sunderland’s recruitment will be imperative this summer, to equip Regis Le Bris with as much top flight quality as possible, as the head coach looks to stave off an instant relegation to the Championship.

Jobe Bellingham has been linked with Borussia Dortmund and has since flown to Germany for transfer talks with Frankfurt, only days after starting in the play-off final victory.

Roma loanee Enzo Le Fee has become a permanent signing, given the obligation-to-buy clause in his loan deal, in the wake of the Black Cats’ promotion.

Aside from Le Fee, Sunderland are said to be targeting an “exceptional” £20 million defender, whom they could have the upper hand in securing this summer.

• READ MORE: TalkSport pundit questions Jobe Bellingham’s ‘curious’ Sunderland decision amid Bundesliga transfer links

Sunderland interested in Monaco defender Wilfried Singo

With Chris Mepham’s Sunderland future uncertain, after the central defender’s stellar loan spell this season, the Black Cats are hunting for backline reinforcements ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Dan Ballard was “immense” against Coventry to send Sunderland to Wembley with a momentous header, and was so again in the final, alongside defensive partner Luke O’Nien, before his cruel injury after just one minute.

Sunderland are expected to struggle next season, given the discrepancy in quality between the leagues, and as such must acquire some defensive personnel this summer to stem the tide of relegation.

According to reports in the Daily Mirror’s print edition (28 May, page 56), the Black Cats are keen to bring highly-rated Monaco defender Wilfried Singo to the Stadium of Light this summer.

24-year-old Singo featured 27 times in Ligue 1, and six times in the Champions League, for Monaco this season and is valued at an estimated transfer fee of £20 million by transfermarkt.com.

Singo was pivotal in Monaco’s third-place finish in the French top flight this season, notching six goal contributions across the season, playing the majority of his football at centre-back whilst also occasionally filling in at right-back.

Monaco head coach Adi Hutter has been waxing lyrical about the Ivorian international throughout his impressive campaign.

Via Ligue 1.com, Hutter has said of Singo: “He was undoubtedly our best defender last season.

“He’s exceptional in aerial duels but must focus on consistency. Sometimes, he makes it look too easy.”

Versatility is one of his biggest assets, with Singo able to play across the backline and in midfield, cementing him as one of Europe’s most promising defensive talents.

Singo has three years left on his current Monaco deal, and despite the substantial fee touted for his services, Sunderland could possess an unseen upper hand in potential transfer negotiations.

• READ MORE: Five transfer targets Sunderland should sign after Championship play-off final win, including ‘Jobe Bellingham replacement’

Sunderland chief Juan Sartori’s Monaco connection amid Wilfried Singo links

Uruguayan businessman Juan Sartori is a co-owner of Sunderland who sits as a non-executive director of the club with a 36 percent stake in the Wearside outfit.

Sartori is also a board member and vice president of Monaco. The businessman married Russian heiress Ekaterina Rybolovleva in 2015, and as such, his father-in-law became Russian oligarch and billionaire businessman Dmitry Rybolovleva, who is the majority owner and president of French football giants Monaco.

After the play-off final win, Sartori admitted his dream signing for Sunderland would be someone also of Uruguayan descent, of which the only one in history is former centre-back Sebastian Coates.

Sunderland nearly signed Barcelona legend Luis Suarez from Ajax in 2010, but dismissed that opportunity, with Liverpool benefitting from his signature only one year later.

Singo may not be Uruguayan like the Sunderland chief, but his quality and potential would constitute a dream signing for the fanbase on Wearside, if Sartori can pull some strings at Monaco amid the defender’s links with a Black Cats move.