Aston Villa and Bournemouth plotting move for Sunderland star | OneFootball

Aston Villa and Bournemouth are interested in completing a deal with Sunderland this transfer window

Aston Villa and Bournemouth are weighing up a move for Sunderland’s Trai Hume this summer.

According to Football Insider, the Premier League clubs are monitoring the defender following his performances in the Championship.

The 22-year-old has been scouted ahead of the summer market, and a move to the top flight could now be on the cards.

Sunderland signed Hume in January 2022 from Northern Irish side Linfield in a deal worth a reported £150,000.

However, it has previously been claimed that it will take an offer of up to £8 million to convince the Black Cats to cash in on the full-back this year.

Trai Hume attracting transfer interest

Hume was a key part of the Sunderland team last season, featuring in all 46 of their league games, including making 45 starts (all stats from Fbref).

It was an underwhelming second half of the campaign for the Wearside outfit, who struggled for form under both Michael Beale and Mike Dodds.

The search for a new head coach could play a role in determining the future of Hume, with the club still yet to hire a permanent successor to Beale, who was sacked in February.

Aston Villa and Bournemouth could look to take advantage of this situation by pursuing a move for Hume.

Unai Emery’s side will also be able to offer Champions League football next season after the Spaniard guided the Midlands team to a fourth place finish in the Premier League.

But it is believed that Villa will need to complete player sales first before bringing in any fresh faces, due to needing to comply with the top flight’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

Hume has a contract with Sunderland until the summer of 2027, and it remains to be seen what his preference would be for the next step in his career.

Trai Hume’s importance to Sunderland

Hume played just three times in the league for Sunderland when he first signed for the club midway through the 2021/22 campaign.

But he grew in importance to the club after they gained promotion from League One in 2022, going on to play 28 times in their first season back in the Championship.

He played a role in helping the side earn a top six finish under Tony Mowbray, where they fell just short of a second consecutive promotion.

Hume cemented himself as a crucial part of the squad in 2023/24, playing over 4,000 minutes in the league as they came 16th in the table.

Sunderland need to find right balance this summer

Sunderland will face interest from clubs for a number of their players this summer, but simply cannot afford to sell them all.

That means they will need to strike a balance between cashing in on big profits, which an £8 million sale of Hume would be, and keeping a strong core of the side together.

This is where having a new head coach in by now would be so important as he could help make that decision, given he’ll be the one choosing the team every week.