Regis Le Bris, Manager of Sunderland, lifts The Sky Bet Championship Play-Off trophy. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Sunderland are interested in improving their defensive unit with the signing of Bafode Diakite.
According to French publication L’Equipe, Sunderland have submitted a €27 million offer for the central defender. It will be interesting to see if they can sign the 24-year-old in the coming weeks.
Lille value the player highly, and they will not let him leave for an offer below €40 million.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth are interested in the player as well. They are looking at him as a potential replacement for Dean Huijsen.
The opportunity to move to the Premier League could be quite exciting for the 24-year-old defender. He is open to moving to English football, and it remains to be seen where he ends up.
Sunderland have secured promotion to the Premier League, and they are looking to build a formidable side. It is clear that they want to stay in the top flight. They will not want to come back down to the Championship. They need quality players in order to survive in the Premier League. The French defender could be an ideal acquisition.
He has a contract with Lille until 2028, and it is no surprise that they are holding out for a fee of around €40 million. He has been an important player for them, and he has shown his ability in the French league as well as the Champions League.
It will be interesting to see if Sunderland are prepared to improve their offer and get the deal done. They need to tighten up defensively. They will be up against top-class attackers in the Premier League and signing a quality central defender could make a huge difference for them.
Meanwhile, the player is entering the peak years of his career, and this is the right time for him to take the next step. Moving to the Premier League could be ideal for him.
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