A recent report indicates that Sunderland have initiated contact regarding the potential signing of a player described as a Euro 2024 “icon,” following their confirmed acquisition of Habib Diarra.
Habib Diarra`s Excitement About Joining Sunderland
On Tuesday, the Black Cats secured their second signing of the summer, with Diarra arriving in a deal reportedly valued at £30 million, setting a new club record. The young midfielder joins from French club Strasbourg, where he performed impressively under Liam Rosenior in the 2024/25 season.
Diarra is expected to fill the gap left by Jobe Bellingham, who moved to Borussia Dortmund earlier this window, following the path of his older brother. Upon signing a five-year contract with Sunderland, the 21-year-old vowed to “give everything for this team and fight for the colours in the Premier League.”
Quoted by BBC Sport, Diarra stated, “I`m happy and excited to become a Black Cat and I can`t wait to discover the Stadium of Light and its fans. Everyone saw last season`s success and I guarantee that I`ll give everything for this team and fight for these colours in the Premier League. I`m ready for this challenge and I can`t wait to get started.”
Sunderland Targets £21m Euro 2024 Striker
With the Diarra deal finalized, Sunderland have reportedly made an approach for striker Georges Mikautadze of French club Olympique Lyon, according to Tutto Juve via Sport Witness.
The report highlights Mikautadze`s strong performance for Lyon last season, where he netted 11 goals in 34 Ligue 1 matches. Sunderland reportedly views him as a priority target but faces competition from clubs like Juventus, Eintracht Frankfurt, and teams in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Scout Jacek Kulig has called the 24-year-old a “true icon,” and Sunderland sees him as a fitting player for Regis Le Bris` system. Despite interest from larger European teams, Sunderland`s perceived advantage in the race is Le Bris` ambitious vision for the club.
| Georges Mikautadze`s 2024/25 Ligue 1 Stats | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 34 |
| Goals | 11 |
| xG | 10.24 |
| Assists | 6 |
| xAG | 3.73 |
| Shots per game | 1.6 |
| Shots on target per game | 0.8 |
| Key passes per game | 0.6 |
| Big chances created | 9 |
Earlier this week, TEAMtalk reported that Nottingham Forest was also pursuing the striker, potentially leveraging Lyon`s financial difficulties, which have led to their relegation to Ligue 2. Lyon is reportedly willing to sell Mikautadze for approximately €25 million (£21.4 million).
While Sunderland already has attacking options in Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda, adding a player of Mikautadze`s caliber – who was the top scorer for Georgia at Euro 2024 – would provide valuable European experience and a proven goal-scorer to the team.
