Sunderland AFC send scouts to watch two players - 13-goal man on the radar | OneFootball

The Black Cats have been linked with summer moves for Tshegofatso Mabasa and Thalente Mbatha from Orlando Pirates.

Sunderland continue to be linked with transfer moves heading into the summer, with the Black Cats touted to sign Orlando Pirates players Tshegofatso Mabasa and Thalente Mbatha.

According to Soccer Laduma in South Africa, Sunderland are keen on making moves for the duo ahead of next season, with both believed to be a worthy investment regardless of playing Championship or Premier League football next term.

The Black Cats have almost cemented their place inside the top six, sitting 16 points clear of seventh-placed Coventry City, while the Wearside outfit are still only eight points off automatic promotion chasing Sheffield United with just six games remaining of the regular season.

Despite Sunderland’s season still remaining undecided, transfer speculation has still continued, with Regis Le Bris’s men rumoured to be considering moves for the duo from Orlando Pirates.

Sunderland send scouts ahead of making double Orlando Pirates raid

As per a report by Soccer Laduma (via Sport Witness), Sunderland have been revealed as the unnamed Championship club interested in signing Tshegofatso Mabasa, with the 28-year-old netting 13 goals from 36 games this season.

A source has also told the outlet that Sunderland are keen on his teammate Thalenta Mbatha too, with the Black Cats sending scouts to track the 25-year-old’s progress in the heart of Orlando Pirates’ midfield.

Sunderland are believed to be happy with what they’ve seen from both Mabasa and Mbatha after watching them over multiple games, but it has been made clear that Sunderland’s main priority is recruiting Mabasa, although interest at this moment is at an early stage.

Sunderland could face work permit issues over the pair

Delving deeper into the report, there is believed to be some concern from the Sunderland camp over whether Tshegofatso Mabasa would be able to obtain a UK work permit, detailing that the process will be far from straightforward.

Speaking about Mabasa’s situation, a source close to Soccer Laduma said: “The interest is there. There has been an enquiry, but the lack of national team caps could work against him. You know, in the UK, you should play a certain number of national team games for you to qualify for their work permit and other things. It’s apparently true the interest is there from Sunderland, but will he qualify for that? That’s where the problem could be.”

Meanwhile, Sunderland continue to mull over whether they make a move for Thalenta Mbatha, but they could face similar issues in being able to get him to reside in the UK.

While it seems a complex issue to fix over both players, Sunderland are wise to begin negotiations at this stage, allowing for a lot of time between now and the beginning of next season to decide their moves and whether they think the pair would be the right fit for the club.