Sunderland in negotiations with Sassuolo for Laurienté after Serie B title victory in 2024-25

Reports in Italy claim that newly-promoted Premier League side Sunderland have opened discussions with Serie B champions Sassuolo over a potential deal for forward Armand Laurienté. 

The former Rennes and Lorient forward has spent the last three seasons in Italy with Sassuolo, and remained with the team following their relegation from Serie A at the end of the 2023-24 season. 

He has since gone on to have a dominant campaign in the Italian second tier, comfortably winning the league title while finishing as the club’s leading scorer in the league and across all competitions. The 26-year-old came up with 18 goals and six assists from 33 appearances in Serie B this term (19 goals, six assists from 34 matches in all competitions).

Sunderland in talks for Sassolo’s Laurienté

Now, according to reports from Matteo Moretto and TMW, Sunderland are in talks to sign the Frenchman from the Neroverdi following their respective promotions in 2024-25. 

Coincidentally, Laurienté represented Lorient in Ligue 1 between 2020 and 2022, but was sold just over a month after current Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris was appointed by the French outfit. 

Sunderland have already shopped in the Serie A market this season, welcoming Enzo Le Fee on an initial loan deal from Roma in January, which was made permanent following Sunderland’s play-off final victory in May. 

The Black Cats are also set to appoint former Giallorossi sporting director Florent Ghisolfi according to recent reports. His departure was confirmed by Roma last week. 

Ghisolfi and Laurienté have both previously been employed by Lorient, but again, their spells did not overlap.