Sunderland set to sign £15m ex Arsenal midfielder amid Hibs pursuit of Black Cats enforcer as update emerges
Hibs could be the beneficiaries of a Sunderland transfer hint as the Black Cats make a bold move.
A Sunderland transfer coup over an ex Arsenal star could leave the door open to Hibs landing one of their key targets.
The Hibees are in Denmark this week for the first leg of their Europa League second qualifying round tie vs FC Midtjylland. Shopping in the transfer market has been done ahead of the game with the club’s record fee broken to sign striker Thibault Klidje with midfielders Josh Mulligan and Jamie McGrath also arriving. Raphael Sallinger has bolstered head coach David Gray’s options between the sticks
One man Hibs would love to have again is Nectar Triantis, who is now back at Sunderland after a successful loan stint at Easter Road. He was pivotal to Gray’s team finishing third in the Premiership and gaining entry to European football but has been with the Black Cats in Portugal as uncertainty surrounds his future. An ambitious Sunderland move for ex Arsenal man Granit Xhaka, now at Bayer Leverkusen, could change things.
Granit Xhaka to Sunderland transfer latest and impact on Hibs
There are reports that a £15m move could be in the works as the Stadium of Light side look to maintain Premier League status. Personal terms are not believed to be an issue and Sunderland will look to get a deal wrapped up with Leverkusen in time for their Premier League campaign beginning.
It would push Triantis further down the pecking order when it comes to midfield placement, with the club spending cash this summer to try and sustain top flight football. Interestingly, despite thriving in the engine room, Triantis was listed as a defender for Sunderland’s pre-season training in Portugal. Midfield chances look set to lessen though with Xhaka bound to arrive. Now 32, the Swiss star who’s won the Bundesliga spent seven years at Arsenal before leaving in 2023, having shone at FC Basel and Borussia Monchengladbach previously.
His agent, José Noguera, told Sky: “We’ve reached an agreement in principle with Sunderland. Granit wants to return to the Premier League. Sunderland excites him – he wants to take on this challenge. We hope Leverkusen will respect his wish to leave and that the clubs will find an agreement soon.”
What Hibs have said on signing Nectar Triantis
Speaking recently on the enforcer, Gray said: “His parent club have been promoted. He’ll be looking at options and what’s there and trying to impress there. Why would you not want to do that after doing so well out on loan? But we’re making sure we’re not singling one player for one position - and we have got our targets. Things can change and that’s the difficult job of the recruitment department.
“No immediate update. We made it clear how well he did here that we’d be interested. We’re always looking. We know the areas we still need to look at and we’re trying to improve so when the window closes, we’re in a stronger position.
“We want to make sure we bring the right type; it’s not a case of just bringing in numbers. Players coming in have settled really well and it’s good to get them used to playing at Easter Road. Josh Mulligan and Jamie did really well. We have a good core who embrace players coming. It’s a good recipe to have.”