Sunderland lodge enquiry for “aggressive” £20m ace

Sunderland have been busy tying Regis Le Bris down to an extended contract on Wearside.

This summer has seen the Black Cats bring in countless new bodies ahead of their Premier League adventure kicking off, but the top-flight newcomers have still found time to ensure the Frenchman sticks it out at the Stadium of Light for the foreseeable, with his improved deal now in play until 2028.

Of course, football is a fickle sport, so it will be intriguing to see if Sunderland extends this same faith to the ex-Lorient manager when times are potentially tough in the brutal division, with more fresh signings no doubt being worked on before August’s opening clash with West Ham United.

Sunderland express interest in £20m-rated talent

The newly promoted side continues to be linked with a whole plethora of exciting names this summer.

Indeed, recent rumours have even suggested that RB Leipzig goal machine Lois Openda is on their shortlist as they attempt to enhance their forward options, alongside interest also popping up in Granit Xhaka’s ex-Bayer Leverkusen teammate Amine Adli to add more quality down the flanks.

They aren’t the only faces Le Bris and Co. are keeping tabs on from the Bundesliga, however, as a new report by Sky Sports Germany indicates that the Black Cats are interested in the possibility of signing Borussia Dortmund star Julian Ryerson before the transfer window closes.

It is stated that Ryerson is comfortable sticking it out with the Black and Yellow, but he might be swayed by the prospect of the Premier League, with the report stating that this is a dream destination for the Nordic right-back.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have also thrown their hat into the ring over Ryerson’s services, with both clubs now having enquired about the potential of bringing the 27-year-old to English shores.

Sunderland winning the £20m-rated defender’s signature – as per his Football Transfers valuation – could see them land an even more entertaining right-back option than Trai Hume, as Le Bris attempts to boost his side all over the pitch, away from hanging onto EFL favourites.

Why Ryerson can be even better than Hume

The Northern Irishman has long been a favourite among the Stadium of Light masses, even before Le Bris’ transformative entry onto the scene.

Indeed, Hume is now up to a mammoth 132 appearances plying his trade on Wearside, with his blistering, high-energy efforts playing a key role in promotion being clinched last season, as the 23-year-old picked up three goals and six assists in league action, on top of tallying up a bumper 17 clean sheets.

Yet, the worry will be how Hume navigates the anxious jump up from the Championship to the Premier League, having only ever played football in his native Northern Ireland, before joining Sunderland’s upward journey in League One back in 2021.

This is where Ryerson could be crucial in helping Sunderland to bridge this almighty gap, having just finished a standout season for Nico Kovac’s men in the unrelenting environment of the Bundesliga.

Ryerson stood out as an expansive, Hume-like figure for Dortmund last season in the gruelling terrain of the German top-flight, with the 27-year-old creating a promising eight big chances in total from his 29 outings for Kovac and Co, while also showing off his defensive grit when averaging four duels won per league clash.

Therefore, picking up Ryerson for around his £20m valuation might be deemed a worthwhile investment to make, with the Scandinavian also boasting 23 Champions League appearances for Jobe Bellingham’s new employers.

Further, Ryerson can offer even more versatility to the Sunderland cause than his ex-Linfield counterpart, having even lined up as a centre-back seven times across his varied career to date, away from also being a capable performer further forward as an out-and-out winger.

That flexibility has been noted by Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl, who said upon Ryerson’s arrival at the club: “Julian Ryerson is an intelligent and aggressive defender, in a good way. He can play on either side of the back four and in a back three.”

Le Bris clearly won’t ditch Hume completely, but snapping up the Dortmund number 26 would gift the Black Cats some much-needed quality and experience, so as not to be swallowed whole by the Premier League.