Sunderland ‘to be asked’ to meet £29.8m Roma price after agent talks | OneFootball

Sunderland have reportedly held concrete talks with the representative of a Roma winger, with the club waiting for an official offer.

Romanews.eu reports that the player’s agent has held firm discussions in England with both Sunderland and Fulham as the 23-year-old considers his future.

The two Premier League clubs would need to contact Roma sporting director Tony D'Amico with a proposal that meets the valuation, the report says. Roma have set a starting price of €35 million, approximately £29.8 million.

The player’s stance could help Sunderland, since he is said to have no interest in joining a side without European football next season. The report suggests Sunderland would be his preference over Fulham, with Régis Le Bris’s team preparing for the Europa League after last season’s seventh-place finish.

Sunderland director of football Florent Ghisolfi knows the player from his time at Roma, a connection that could aid any move if interest is formalised.

He is expected to be among the most in-demand players this summer, and initial contact is only an early step. A significant gap remains between talks with an agent and agreeing to Roma’s near-£30 million demands, so the next marker will be whether either club submits an official bid during the window.

Source: Sunderland Echo