After being thwarted in their attempts to sign Ryan Mason and Danny Ings, David Moyes’ Sunderland have now set their sights on their very own Pogba and an out-of-favour Liverpool defender.

 

David Moyes has not had the best start to his career as Sunderland manager, with just one point from his first three Premier League games. The Scotsman will be desperate to bolster a squad that narrowly avoided relegation last season, and is in the pursuit of several signings on deadline day.

One of the biggest developments in that regard is that the Black Cats are close to signing FC Lorient midfielder Didier Ndong for €20 million, according to French publication L’Equipe. If the deadline day deal is completed, it would make the 22-year-old Gabon international Sunderland’s most expensive transfer in history.

The addition to midfield is a top priority, but another key area for David Moyes is defence. Premier League rivals Everton have been in hot pursuit of their star defender Lamine Kone, and the player has been unsettled at the Stadium of Light since news of the interest broke. Moyes is now reportedly looking at two options on deadline day.

Pogba family reunion

Florentin Pogba (C) the St Etiene footballer and brother of Juventus player Paul Pogba looks on before the UEFA Champions League final soccer match between Juventus FC and FC Barcelona at Olympic stadium in Berlin, Germany, 06 June 2015. (Photo Credit: EPA/Marcus Brandt)
Florentin Pogba (C) the St Etiene footballer and brother of Juventus player Paul Pogba looks on before the UEFA Champions League final soccer match between Juventus FC and FC Barcelona at Olympic stadium in Berlin, Germany, 06 June 2015. (Photo Credit: EPA/Marcus Brandt)

Paul Pogba became the world’s most expensive footballer this season when he joined Manchester United from Juventus. His brother could now be joining him in the Premier League, although in a much more low-key move.

Florentin Pogba is a 26-year-old center-half who currently plays for St Etienne in Ligue 1. According the the Sun, Sunderland manger David Moyes is putting together a £6.5 million bid for the older Pogba. He was linked with a move to Aston Villa last summer, but stayed on at the French club and established himself as the first choice central defender.

The report adds that the physically imposing defender has been tracked by top flight clubs for the past five years, and the player has even stayed away from international duty with Guinea in order to facilitate a move away from St Etienne.

Sakho to redeem himself at the Stadium of Light

Liverpool's French defender Mamadou Sakho says a prayer before kick off of the English Premier League football match between Sunderland and Liverpool at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, north east England, on December 30, 2015. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images)
Liverpool’s French defender Mamadou Sakho says a prayer before kick off of the English Premier League football match between Sunderland and Liverpool at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, north east England, on December 30, 2015. (Photo by Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images)

French defender Mamadou Sakho had established himself as a first team regular last season at Liverpool. However, it has been a summer of woe for the 26-year-old Frenchman. He had a provisional ban imposed on him by UEFA after failing a drug test last season, which was later revoked after the drug was discovered to be a fat burner and not a performance enhancer.

The situation at Liverpool was already tense after this controversy, and was made worse when Jurgen Klopp sent Sakho home from the pre-season tour after a public spat. The Frenchman has since been dealing with injury, but it is widely believed that Klopp wants to offload him this summer.

Sunderland are now believed to be very close to signing Sakho on a loan deal, according to Empire of the Kop. The 26-year-old would be an excellent signing for David Moyes, judging from his performances for the Reds in the latter half of last season. The Stadium of Light could prove to be the ideal place for Sakho to redeem himself in the eyes of Klopp and the Kop.

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