AliousLauriente Touches Down for £17.5M Move – Sunderland’s New Star to Watch Sevilla Clash as Medical Nears Completion!
Armand Laurienté is on the brink of finalizing his high-profile transfer to Sunderland, with the French forward set to attend the Black Cats’ pre-season friendly against Sevilla in Portugal tonight. The 26-year-old was en route to join the squad today as he undergoes a medical and wraps up the final steps of his £17.5 million switch from Sassuolo.
Laurienté, who netted 18 goals and recorded six assists in Serie B last season, is expected to sign a five-year deal—marking Sunderland’s seventh signing of the summer and pushing their transfer spend beyond the £100 million mark. Known for his versatility, the former Lorient star is effective both on the flanks and as a central striker. He’s a familiar face to both head coach Régis Le Bris and new director of football Florent Ghisolfi, having been targeted early in the transfer window.
While Sunderland had explored other attacking options during protracted negotiations with Sassuolo, a key breakthrough came this week, paving the way for Laurienté’s imminent arrival. Barring any last-minute setbacks, he will be in the stands for tonight’s 8 PM kickoff, with fans eagerly awaiting his first appearance.
Sunderland’s pre-season tour continues in Portugal on Monday with a clash against Sporting Lisbon, though it remains unclear whether Laurienté will be ready to feature. The team returns to England after that match, before taking on Hearts next Saturday.
Meanwhile, Sunderland are actively pursuing further reinforcements. They remain keen on Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka and are stepping up efforts to land Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumí. Reports in Italy suggest their initial bid for the Colombian was rejected, but a revised offer exceeding €20 million is now in the works.
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