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Crystal Palace are attempting to hijack Sunderland‘s move for Lyon’s Malick Fofana.
The winger had agreed to join Sunderland in a deal worth just under £30m but Palace have made their own proposal.
It is now up to the the 21-year-old to decide as he travels to England for a medical, having been offered a five-year contract at the Stadium of Light.
Any deal for the Belgium forward would
Sunderland say experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka is not for sale after it emerged Chelsea have entered talks with the player’s camp over a potential move.
The Switzerland international, 33, who is under contract until 2028, played a key role in helping the Black Cats qualify for Europe last season.
His representatives are understood to have had contact from Stamford Bridge – though sources inside the club have yet to confirm
Le Bris’ tactical variety is evident in Sunderland’s out-of-possession play this season. Though they have been difficult to break down defensively, that hasn’t only been by defending deep.
Sunderland tend to begin aggressively. Le Bris instructs his players to press high, often in a man-to-man fashion, and their ability to execute this has been impressive.
Newly promoted teams are reluctant to defend in this way because getting it wrong leaves
It is fair to say that when Sunderland announced the appointment of Le Bris in June 2024, underwhelmed was the overriding emotion.
It had taken three months to find a permanent replacement for Michael Beale and the club had come up with a man who had just been relegated from Ligue 1 in France with Lorient.
But with the Black Cats ending an eight-year exile from the top flight by
Wassall was appointed in 2023 having previously served as academy manager at Derby – shaping, amongst others, Liam Delap’s early journey, the now-established careers of Leeds defender Jayden Bogle, Jason Knight and Max Bird, now both of Bristol City, and Crystal Palace midfielder Will Hughes.
His remit is a complex one but essentially to head a group of 12 regional managers who assist clubs in adhering to the guidelines and