Sunderland play down Noé Lebreton links after report they were 'closing in' | OneFootball

Sunderland have played down links to NEC Nijmegen midfielder Noé Lebreton, with club sources describing talk they were closing in on a deal as wide of the mark.

According to FourFourTwo, Sunderland were close to adding a French midfielder to Régis Le Bris’ squad and identified Lebreton as the player concerned.

The 22-year-old joined NEC from Caen last summer and delivered seven goals and six assists in 27 Eredivisie games. His form helped NEC finish third and reach the Champions League third qualifying round.

The link also appeared plausible given recent dealings between the clubs. Sunderland signed goalkeeper Robin Roefs from NEC last summer. The 23-year-old excelled in his first season in English football before heading to the World Cup with the Netherlands.

Lebreton’s age and profile align with Sunderland’s recruitment under sporting director Florent Ghisolfi. Sunderland remain active in the market as they prepare for Premier League and Europa League football, yet Lebreton is not understood to be among their immediate targets.

Source: Sunderland Echo