Sunderland and Burnley to Battle for €7M Aston Villa Defender

Sunderland are already making moves in the transfer window as they look to strengthen their squad with a Premier League defender.

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Sunderland are now a Premier League team, and with the goal of competing immediately in English football's top tier, the Black Cats' board are planning to make a significant investment during the transfer window.

Although the Lads have just lost a key piece like Jobe Bellingham, who is leaving for Borussia Dortmund in exchange for €33 million (around £28 million), the club are also working on finalizing some new signings.

Among the areas to strengthen, according to recent press reports, is the defense. In fact, a recent report indicates that Sunderland will look to sign a full-back from the Premier League.

Sunderland and Burnley interested in Aston Villa's Alex Moreno

According to Foot Mercato (h/t Sunderland Echo), Sunderland are among the clubs interested in signing Alex Moreno, a 32-year-old Spanish left-back who plays for Aston Villa.

Last season, Moreno was on loan at Nottingham Forest, but the newly crowned European champions did not trigger a permanent purchase.

Either way, Sunderland would face competition in this case, as the same outlet reports that Burnley are also interested in securing the Spaniard's services.

Additionally, the left-back is also being monitored from his homeland, with clubs of the caliber of Real Sociedad and Real Betis keeping a close eye on his situation.

For now, the specialized portal Transfermarkt gives him a market valuation of €7 million, or around £5.9 million.

This figure aligns with the cited report, which mentions that Aston Villa would be willing to let him go for £5.3 million.

It’s worth remembering that the Villans bought Alex Moreno for £13.2 million from Real Betis just a couple of years ago, in 2023.

During the 2024-25 season, Moreno made a total of 15 appearances in the Premier League, with 11 starts and 1 assist.