Crunch time for Sunderland transfer hopes after talks with Italian club over target

SUNDERLAND are hoping to make Matias Soule their first signing of the summer this week, with the Roma winger’s future set to be resolved in the next seven days. Black Cats officials have held discussions with the Roma hierarchy over Soule, who is valued at around €35m (£30m), and while a deal has not yet been brokered, there is confidence that an agreement should be possible. Senior members of the Sunderland hierarchy have also been working to try to persuade Soule and his representatives that a move to the Stadium of Light is their best option this summer. The Argentinian has been presented with a number of different proposals, with Sunderland’s recruitment team hoping the opportunity to play in the Premier League, a place in next season’s Europa League and the strength of what the Black Cats are building under Regis Le Bris will help tilt the balance in their favour. Soule’s agent, Martin Guastadisegno, has reportedly travelled to England to hold talks with senior officials from both Sunderland and Fulham about a possible deal. Guastadisegno is already well-known to Florent Ghisolfi as Sunderland’s director of football brokered the deal that took Soule to Roma from Juventus when he was working for the Serie A club. Soule flew back into Italy from South America this weekend ahead of the start of Roma’s pre-season programme, and when asked about his future, responded: “Will I stay? Honestly, I don’t know.” READ MORE: The Italian media are reporting that both he and Roma want his future resolved this week, which should mean the situation comes to a head in the next couple of days. Predominantly a right-winger, which was a problem position for Sunderland throughout much of last season, Soule can also play in a more central attacking role. He joined Roma in a €26m (£22m) move from Juventus two summers ago, and made 41 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring seven goals and registering eight assists as Roma secured Champions League qualification. Sunderland have also made moves to try to sign Tarik Muharemovic, although they find themselves facing considerable competition for the centre-half. The 23-year-old, who was part of the Bosnia and Herzegovina squad at the World Cup, joined Sassuolo on a permanent basis last summer after spending the previous season on loan at the club from Juventus. Sunderland, Leeds United and Bournemouth are all understood to have held discussions with Sassuolo officials over Muharemovic, who now looks certain to be leaving his current employers this summer. Meanwhile, Sunderland defender Arthur Masuaku admits he does not know where his future lies as he prepares to start pre-season training at the Academy of Light. Masuaku joined the Black Cats last summer and spent the first half of the season on Wearside before leaving to join Lens on loan in January. His loan expired earlier this summer, with Lens not believed to be interested in a permanent deal. As things stand, that means Masuaku is preparing to link up with Le Bris and the rest of Sunderland’s first-team squad later this month, having spent the first part of the summer representing DR Congo at the World Cup. Speaking to Sports News Africa, Masuaku was asked about his future and whether he expected to remain with Sunderland. “Honestly, I don’t know,” he said. “At the end of the month I will return to training at my club, I will play and regarding the rest of my career my agent will handle it. For now, I’m going back to my club.”