Newcastle United And Sunderland ‘Considering’ Bids For Left Footer | OneFootball

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Sunderland and Newcastle United are considering a move for left-footed Orgryte defender Michael Parker.

The 21-year-old English defender spent his time in the West Brom academy system and featured regularly in the Premier League 2 before departing them in the winter to join Swedish side Orgryte.

Parker has featured regularly so far for Orgryte and the defender’s performance for the Swedish side have already turned some heads.

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The tall centre-back is a versatile player with the ability to play in left-back or wing-back roles and his speed on the pitch has also grabbed attention from several European outfits.

A return to England might be on the card for Parker this summer as English outfits Sunderland and Newcastle United are showing interest in him.

According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Sunderland and Newcastle are amongst clubs ‘considering’ lodging a bid for Parker this summer.

It has also been suggested that a potential bid could arrive for Parker, who has a contract with Orgryte until December 2028, which could be in the region of €3m to €5m.

It is unclear if Newcastle and Sunderland see Parker as someone to slot straight into the side, or simply to offer squad depth and competition for places.

Newcastle are expected to splash cash on other defenders too.

They are rivalling Nottingham Forest for the signature of Gremio star Viery for whom the Brazilian side want €15m.

The Magpies have also been linked with Udinese’s French centre-back Oumar Solet, who recently rejected a contract renewal and the Italian outfit are ready to ‘sacrifice him’ in the summer window to bring in cash.

Strengthening the backline has been a priority for Regis Le Bris since last season and Sunderland have retained interest in Bologna’s Jhon Lucumi, whom they failed to bring in last summer despite their efforts.

Sunderland will be in the Europa League next season and they are preparing for a busy summer, and they could be an attractive destination for Parker, as the Black Cats have a track record of developing young players.

However, Newcastle and Sunderland will face tough competition for the 21-year-old’s signature, as Eintracht Frankfurt, Red Bull Salzburg, Sporting Lisbon, Sturm Graz, FC Copenhagen and Brentford are also in the race.