Sunderland could see a £9.5m bid accepted to sign the “aggressive” star.
Sunderland hit the jackpot when they sought to sign experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for £13m last summer.
The Swiss, who made 297 England debuts for Arsenal, has brought quality and experience to Regis Le Bris’ side in the middle of the park.
Xhaka finished the season with 34 appearances, one goal, and six assists in the Premier League for the Black Cats, as he used his technical quality and creativity to open doors for his side.
He helped Sunderland qualify for the Europa League by finishing seventh in the division, and their qualification for European football will make it crucial that he gets a goal.
The veteran midfielder turns 34 in September and Le Bris may be wary of playing him too much with 38 Premier League appearances and at least eight European appearances to spare.
Sunderland are looking to make a move for a new midfielder
Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on the final day of the season secured European football for the club, and now they must build a team that will compete for more games.
Now, the Black Cats are reportedly looking for a player who could come to Wearside as a replacement for their captain and star player next season.
According to journalist Sebstien Vidal, Sunderland is one of the teams looking to sign Charleroi midfielder Yassine Titraoui in the next transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Belgian side want around £9.5m for the 22-year-old talent, meaning the Black Cats could see a bid of less than £10m accepted for his services.
Vidal adds, however, that Ligue 1 side Marseille are also interested in signing the Algerian star, providing competition for their signature in the off-season.
However, Titraoui is said to have attracted the idea of playing in the Premier League and Europa League next season, which may give Sunderland a chance in this race.
How Yassine Titraoui could be Sunderland’s next Granit Xhaka
The Black Cats will need to carefully manage Xhaka’s minutes next season to balance domestic and European football, as well as Charleroi Star would be the perfect signing to allow them to do that.
At 22, he is 11 years younger than the Swiss international and could start to join as a back-up captain, mainly starting in European games and midweek Premier League games to give Xhaka a rest.
Titraoui’s form in the Pro League this season suggests he has the potential to become a younger Le Bris version of the former Leverkusen star, if he can adapt to English football, due to his qualities on and off the ball.
|
25/25 season |
Titraoui (Pro League) |
Xhaka (Premier League) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearance |
35 |
34 |
|
Goals |
5 |
1 |
|
xA |
3.78 |
3.71 |
|
It helps |
1 |
6 |
|
Tackle + encounter per game |
2.9 |
2.4 |
|
Duels won per match |
4.1 |
4.5 |
Xhaka and the £9.5m-rated midfielder produced similar numbers defensively and had almost identical xA, although Sunderland’s forwards were more clinical with their chances than Charleroi’s.
This suggests Titraoui has the quality on the ball to be a creative force for Sunderland in the same vein as the Swiss maestro, opening up opposition defenses with inventive passes.
The Algerian, who was described as “aggressive” by youth football expert Alfred Frank, is also a strong player who does not play for his team in the middle of the park, averaging three tackles and blocks per game.
He has the movement and physicality to disrupt opposition attacks on a regular basis, which is what Xhaka does at Sunderland, and that is another reason why he will be a fantastic addition to the Le Bris squad this summer.
Titraoui is unproven in the Premier League and is still a young player with some time before he learns, so he should not be expected to become an instant star at the Stadium of Light, which is why he would be the right player to sign to fill this gap in the team.
The 22-year-old talent can act as Xhaka’s understudy, fill in when the veteran needs a rest, and become a younger version of the manager for the Swiss star.

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