An update has emerged on Sunderland and their attempts to bolster the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship season, which kicks off this week.
What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?
According to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Black Cats are in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal to sign defender Colin Dagba this summer, as sporting director Kristjaan Speakman works to land a seventh signing of the transfer window for Tony Mowbray.
Eliezer Mayenda, Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham, Luis Hemir Semedo, Bradley Dack, and Jenson Seelt have all come through the door so far.
The report now claims that the second-tier outfit want to bring the right-back in from the Ligue 1 champions to improve their options at the back.
It states that his pathway is blocked in Paris and that a permanent transfer to the Stadium of Light is now on the cards, although it remains to be seen how much they need to pay in order to secure his services.
How good is Colin Dagba?
The 24-year-old is unproven at Championship level but he has plenty of experience in a major European league in France, with 76 Ligue 1 matches under his belt to date, and could thrive with the drop down in quality.
Dagba showed enough during the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Strasbourg to suggest that his arrival would be awful news for Lynden Gooch, who has featured in 11 top-flight games in his career so far.
The current Sunderland defender played the majority of his matches, as he made 32 appearances in all competitions, at right-back and the PSG battler could come in to take his minutes.
Dagba, who was once dubbed "humble" by ex-manager Thomas Tuchel, averaged more tackles and interceptions per game (2.3) and won a higher percentage of his individual duels (52%) in Ligue 1 last season across 21 outings in comparison to Gooch in the Championship (2.1 and 50%).
When you consider that the £22k-per-week enforcer was playing at a higher standard – within the top division of French football instead of the second tier in England – and could excel at a lower level, these statistics suggest that the Black Cats target could be an upgrade on the versatile American in terms of the defensive work he could put in at right-back.
Therefore, Mowbray could opt for Dagba over the 27-year-old dud in that position to improve his backline by putting in a defender who can win the ball back for the team more frequently at an efficient rate.
Another reason why this could be bad news for Gooch is that The Academy of Light graduate is now in the final year of his contract at the club.
This could mean that he is fighting for his future on Wearside as his performances this season could dictate whether or not they decide to offer him an extension.
Therefore, if Speakman lands the signing of Dagba, who could eat up Gooch's game time at right-back, may leave the USA international sweating as he may not get the opportunities on the pitch to fight for a new deal, which could lead to him leaving on a free next summer.
