Sunderland set to finalise transfer swoop for 21-year-old midfielder ahead of deadline | OneFootball

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Sunderland are set to sign Adil Aouchiche from Lorient on a ‘long-term’ contract, as Tony Mowbray strengthens his squad.

Who is Adil Aouchiche?

The 21-year-old is a name that many fans won’t know, as he has spent his career so far in France. After coming through the ranks at PSG, where he was highly-rated, the attacking midfielder moved to St Etienne, before joining Lorient 12 months ago.

Aouchiche, who can play in different midfield roles as well as his preferred number ten position, has also represented France at various youth levels up to U20, and he had a very good record coming through.

He opted to leave PSG for St Etienne in search of regular football, and he did clock up over 75 appearances for the Greens. However, their relegation meant Aouchiche was on the move again, and he returned to Ligue 1 with Lorient.

Sunderland set to sign Adil Aouchiche

The youngster failed to establish himself as a regular for Lorient, and it’s now been reported by L’Equipe that he is set to leave the club for the Black Cats, with the transfer seemingly at a very advanced stage.

“Lorient midfielder Adil Aouchiche should quickly join the English club Sunderland, in the English second division.

“Lorient and Sunderland reached an agreement in principle this Thursday for the transfer of Adil Aouchiche (21 years old). The midfielder, trained at PSG and under contract until June 2026, was authorized to travel to England. The transaction amount has not been filtered. Aouchiche must sign a long-term contract with the English club, resident of the English second division.”

Is Adil Aouchiche a good signing for Sunderland?

The player certainly fits the profile for the type of signing that Sunderland have made in the past few years.

They have predominantly targeted young, technical players, and, on the whole, it’s a decision that has paid off, with Tony Mowbray creating a stylish, attacking squad from the players he had last season.

You can also see why they are taking a chance on Aouchiche. This is a player who broke through at PSG as a youngster, so there’s no doubt he has plenty of talent, but the past few years have been tough for him.

Yet, that’s been the case with many of the Sunderland squad, with the likes of Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts having struggled in the past before moving to the Stadium of Light.

In terms of the Sunderland squad, they certainly need more creativity, and Aouchiche is someone who will provide that. Plus, he can play different roles in the team, and should suit the possession based football that Mowbray encourages.

What next for Sunderland?

It’s sure to be a frantic final day for the Black Cats, with Ross Stewart set to sign for Southampton, whilst Lyden Gooch is heading to Stoke.

Clearly, they need replacements for those players, and there are several other areas in the squad that must be strengthened. So, it will be interesting to see what the squad looks like come 11pm on Friday.

Sunderland are back in action against Southampton on Saturday afternoon.