Sunderland, who finished seventh in the Premier League this season and qualified for the Europa League, will need to add more depth and quality to their squad.
The Black Cats beat Chelsea 2-1 on the final day of the campaign, making an unusual return to the top flight and securing their place in European football after winning promotion last year.
Regis Le Bris currently needs to make some key additions to the group to ensure the team is ready to compete in both the Premier League and Europa League.
Some players may suffer with the introduction of new stars, including left winger Kemzuddin Talbi, who has been inconsistent in his first year at the Stadium of Light.
The Moroccan international finished the season with four goals and one assist in 28 appearances in the Premier League for the Black Cats after moving from Club Brugge last year.
Talvi struggled to show consistent quality as either a scorer or goal creator for Sunderland, which at times cost him his place as a starter, starting 16 of Sunderland’s 28 games.
The club are now reportedly considering signing a forward who could arrive at the Stadium of Light next season as a better option than the 21-year-old.
According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen left-winger Kerim Alaibegovic in the upcoming summer transfer window.
According to reports, they have been in contact with the player’s representatives to enter into negotiations over the young talent’s possible move to Wearside this summer.
It goes on to add that the German side are expected to demand a transfer fee of up to £26m for the Bosnian international, who is expected to re-sign him from RB Salzburg for £7m, which could earn him a hefty return later on.
TEAMtalk revealed that the Black Cats are leading the race to sign the 18-year-old attacker, but it won’t be easy to seal a deal with Italian giants Roma also keen to land the teenage sensation.
How Kerim Alajbegovic will upgrade Kemsudine Talbi at Sunderland
Talvi has yet to show that he can provide goals and assists on a regular basis at first-team level, as he has never recorded double-digit goals or assists in a single season in his career.
The Moroccan international scored five goals and provided three assists in the Pro League during the 2024/25 season with Club Brugge, followed by four goals and one assist in the Premier League with Sunderland.
Meanwhile, Alaybegovic has scored 13 goals in all competitions for RB Salzburg this season, more than Talbi has scored in the previous two years combined.
25/26 season | Alazibegovic (BL) | Tarbi (PL) |
|---|---|---|
Appearance | 28 | 28 |
xG | 4.57 | 2.13 |
the goal | 9 | 4 |
A big opportunity has arisen | 9 | 0 |
Shah | 4.63 | 1.19 |
assist | 3 | 1 |
Number of successful dribbles per game | 1.6 | 0.6 |
The 18-year-old scored nine goals in the Austrian Bundesliga, five more than Talbi produced in the Premier League, and created nine eye-catching “big chances” for his team-mates.
These statistics suggest that the teenage magician, who was hailed by U23 scout Antonio Mango for his “fantastic” form, could be a much better option than the former Club Brugge star, as he can offer more quality as both a scorer and goal creator.
Alaybegovic has also played in the Europa League. He has two goals and one assist in four starts in all competitions in 2025/26, showing he is capable of performing at that level ahead of Sunderland’s European campaign next term.
Tarvi, on the other hand, has never played in the Europa League before in his career, suggesting the Bosnian attacker is likely to make his mark in the competition as an influential forward.
Overall, the 18-year-old talent appears to have the potential to be an upgrade to Le Bris on the left side beyond the 2025/26 season, provided he can adapt to English football and the Premier League.
The fact that Bayer Leverkusen have activated their buy option and want £26m for his services suggests they believe he has the quality to scale up, and it is up to Sunderland to agree a deal that will bring him to the Stadium of Light to see if he can do that.
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