Sunderland are close to finalising a season-long loan for Chelsea striker Marc Guiu | OneFootball

Sunderland are close to finalising a season-long loan for Chelsea striker Marc Guiu, according to The Athletic.

The Stadium of Light club are preparing for life back in the Premier League and want attacking reinforcements.

Sunderland will pay a penalty fee if the 19-year-old does not play a specific number of games. Chelsea inserted a similar clause in Armando Broja’s loan to Fulham last year.

The ‘fantastic’ and ‘exceptional’ Guiu made 16 appearances for the Stamford Bridge club across all competitions last term, weighing in with six goals.

He will fancy his chances of impressing under manager Regis Le Bris at Sunderland.

The Barcelona academy graduate scored twice in seven games for the La Liga club in 2023-24, before joining Chelsea last summer.

The Black Cats are now offering him the chance to establish himself as a Premier League regular, and he will be desperate to grab the opportunity.

Sunderland have completed deals for Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra, Granit Xhaka and Robin Roefs this summer.

However, more additions are still expected in the final four weeks of the transfer window.

All three promoted clubs have been relegated in each of the last two seasons in the Premier League, and Sunderland are desperate to avoid suffering the same fate.

They need a quality squad to ensure they establish themselves in the top-flight, and adding Guiu to their ranks is a shrewd move.