Sunderland transfer news: Black Cats boss refuses to rule out January move for former Arsenal player

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has failed to rule out the possible January signing of Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi.

The 26-year-old could be joining one of the surprise packages of the Premier League campaign so far, with the Black Cats sitting nine points away from danger.

In fact, the North-East giants are currently occupying fourth spot in the top-flight standings heading towards the busy festive period.

After holding league leaders Arsenal to a draw last time out, Sunderland are plotting victory at the base of Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

The two sides last locked horns in the Premier League over eight years ago, meaning that this weekend's West London clash is a long time in the making.

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"We stay connected" - Le Bris responds to Guendouzi links

Speaking following the international break and ahead of a Saturday afternoon trip to the banks of the River Thames, Sunderland responded to reports linking his team to Guendouzi.

"We still have connections with players and Matteo is one of those players. I worked with him previously in Lorient so we stay connected," the Black Cats boss told the media.

As a result, it is safe to assume that newly-promoted Sunderland are considering a swoop for the services of the 26-year-old during the winter trading point.

The Frenchman is a regular starter for Lazio this term, earning a place in the XI in nine Serie A matches, providing two goal contributions.

As mentioned above, Le Bris and Guendouzi know each other from their spells at Lorient, where the latter made 30 appearances for the first team between 2016 and 2018.

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Ex-Arsenal pairing in the Sunderland midfield?

If Guendouzi secures a New Year switch to the Stadium of Light, there could be a midfield with plenty of Arsenal flavour gracing the Stadium of Light.

The 26-year-old was a fringe player for the majority of his time at the Emirates, although he was part of the FA Cup-winning squad in 2020.

On the other hand, current Sunderland man Granit Xhaka was often front and centre of the headlines in North London during his stint with the Gunners.