Sunderland gifted chance to sign “scintillating” £17m star

Sunderland fans will already be planning their journeys down to Burnley on the weekend as the Black Cats’ second Premier League fixture of the new season edges ever closer.

While the Wearside outfit kicked straight into gear in the top-flight with a 3-0 triumph over West Ham United, the Clarets succumbed to a disappointing 3-0 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur, resulting in both newly promoted sides occupying very different parts of the early table heading into Saturday’s showdown.

Even if Regis Le Bris’ men do follow up their opening day success with a win on the road, expect them to be busy in the transfer department right up until September’s deadline, as a new attacking target now appears on their agenda.

Sunderland gifted chance to sign £17m star

After all, another couple of new signings to add on to their 12 incomings this summer isn’t going to hurt anyone.

The ambitious Black Cats are continuing to be linked with a whole host of exciting names, with FC Copenhagen centre-back Gabriel Pereira reportedly catching their eye at around the £9m mark, on top of Abdul Fatawu also being on their radar in attack.

Unfortunately, Sunderland may well deem a £30m move for the Leicester City winger to be too much money to cough up, despite their excessive spending in the market. Thankfully, this alternative target could do the job instead.

Indeed, as per French outlet RMC, ex-Norwich City forward Jonathan Rowe looks to be leaving Marseille now this summer, owing to a recent altercation with teammate Adrien Rabiot resulting in the Ligue 1 club saying he can depart.

Both players in question have been put up for sale subsequently, with Rowe allegedly available for a fee around the £17m mark, which has piqued Sunderland’s interest – albeit with Serie A side Bologna seemingly at the front of the queue, as Fabrizio Romano has revealed on X.

For significantly less than Fatawu’s asking price, Sunderland could secure themselves a big upgrade on the Ghanaian forward by swooping in for Rowe, irrespective of his bad behaviour under Roberto De Zerbi.

How Rowe compares to Sunderland target Fatawu

Of course, Fatawu is a shining star in his own right for Leicester, with the entertaining 21-year-old up to an impressive seven goals and 15 assists for Marti Cifuentes’ men.

But, it would be deemed an almighty risk to fork out £30m on the Foxes’ number seven all the same, especially if Rowe is waiting in the wings ready to be picked up for £13m less.

Fatawu only has two assists to show for his Premier League troubles at the King Power Stadium. Whereas, Rowe has turned into a competent performer in the French top-flight with Marseille – away from his blistering exploits with Norwich where he bagged a stunning 13 goals from 56 games – despite his time at the Stade Velodrome now turning sour.

Three goals and four assists had come Rowe’s way in the Marseille first-team picture before the recent ill-timed development, with a hope on the former Canaries youth product’s end that he can enter into the Premier League with Sunderland shortly and take the tough division by storm, having matured out in France, away from his boyhood side.

Rowe would surely slot into Le Bris’ team effortlessly, with the England U21 regular showing off his direct, forward-thinking mentality with this sumptuous strike last season in Ligue 1 action, which was the same gung-ho philosophy that saw the Black Cats wipe the floor with Graham Potter’s Hammers.

On the other hand, Fatawu is more known for his unselfish approach – as seen when he created a mammoth 32 big chances in league action during Leicester’s promotion up to the Premier League – with a worrying zero goals next to his name in the demanding English top-flight.

In another reality, Le Bris and Co. do swoop in for Fatawu, as the Frenchman is handed another youthful project.

However, if Sunderland want instant success and another player who can make them a dangerous prospect at the very top, the Premier League newcomers should attempt to land the “scintillating” winger – as he was previously labelled by pundit Carlton Palmer – before the window slams shut.