How Did Sunderland Blunder a Move for 26-Year-Old Serie A Forward This Summer?

AFC Sunderland had a French winger on their radar this summer. The club spent over €170 million in the transfer window upon their return to the top-flight football after eight years and were willing to spend more for a 26-year-old forward. 

The Black Cats came insanely close to bringing the youngster to the Stadium of Light, but the move fell apart. Here’s why the newly promoted side’s pursuit of the winger failed.

Sunderland Fails to Acquire Sassuolo Forward

Sunderland signed Brighton left winger Simon Adingra and Club Brugge right winger Chemsidine Telbi, among others, to bolster their squad. Reports have emerged that the club was also keen on signing a Serie A forward. 

Sassuolo star Armand Laurienté was in Stade Rennais with current Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris, who was pushing to reunite with the forward in the Premier League.  

Lauriente had reached an agreement with Sassuolo to cut ties with the Serie A club and even flew to Portugal for a medical examination. Sunderland was willing to pay a €20m fee for the youngster. The French international was also clear on personal terms with the English club. However, a misunderstanding involving the contract reportedly spoiled things for both parties. 

The Serie A club’s general manager, Giovanni Carnevali, blamed Lauriente’s manager for the failed move. 

“There are difficulties in this transfer market, many of them, not in the choices and objectives, but in the negotiations,” Carnevali said. “As a football system, we deal with many agents, especially foreign ones. You might close a deal with a club and then have to buy the player from the agent.” 

“That’s not good for football. He [Lauriente] deserves attention from the management. His sale could have been important for investment, but this doesn’t jeopardise our objectives, so we’re continuing what we’re doing. We need to improve the team in various areas.”

Lauriente has continued in Italy and is likely to stay there for a while, as AS Roma and Bologna are monitoring the forward. The Serie A clubs are interested in adding the 26-year-old to their squad for the next season. 

The winger scored and assisted a goal in Sunday's Sassuolo 3-1 win over Udinese. Lauriente has risen as one of the MVPs for the Serie A side and is proving to be a deadly weapon. 

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