Diakite ‘honoured’ with Black Cats link.
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Lazio defender Modibo Diakite is apparently delighted to be linked with a summer move to the Stadium of Light, according to talkSPORT.
He will be available to leave the Rome based club on a free transfer this summer and has signalled his intent to move on, a decision which has prompted the side’s management to give him the axe.
Liverpool have been rumoured to be interested, as have Newcastle, Roma and Napoli, but it is the interest from Sunderland that has brought the biggest reaction from his camp.
The 26-year-olds’s agent, Ulisse Savini, has admitted that no talks have taken place yet, but reacting to reports in Italy suggesting that the Black Cats are in poll position to land his signature, he said: “English football is intriguing and Di Canio has brought great enthusiasm, but for now I haven’t spoken to anyone from Sunderland. If they were to call, we’d be honoured to talk to them.”
However, he also admitted that Italian sides had been pressing hard, so Sunderland would have to get a move on if they wanted to bring him on board.
“It was almost all done with Napoli. Unfortunately, we have different time-sensitive requirements and have therefore decided to take different paths,”