Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bliss responds during a friendly pre-season game (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Sunderland has made an effort to strengthen its defense this summer by signing Valencia’s promising centre-back Cesar Talegga this summer.
According to a Plaza Deportiva report broadcast by Sport Witness, Sunderland has submitted an offer of around £17 million to the 23-year-old. The bids were pretty good, but Tarega chose to stay in Valencia and signed a new contract with the Spanish club last week.
Newcastle was also enthusiastic about Tarega.
Cesar Tarrega would have improved Sunderland
Rome is also interested in signing Tarega, highlighting its reputation as a new defensive talent. The inability to secure Sunderland’s Talega prompted the club to step up their search for alternative defensive reinforcements. As they prepare for Premier League football challenges, it is important to add quality players to avoid the Black Cat returning to the Championship.
Manager Regis Le Bri made priority to sign the central defender before the transfer window closed. Tárrega, who started 34 league games in Valencia last season, would have been a great addition to Sunderland’s backline. His strength, positional awareness and technical capabilities are all proven at a high level in La Liga, suggesting he has adapted well to the Premier League.
Sunderland needs quality additions
Despite the disappointment of what they missed, Sunderland has to identify other targets to upgrade their team. Their ambition is not only to survive, but to establish themselves as patrons in the top tier. The next few weeks will be crucial as the club works to build a team that can strengthen its defense and meet the demands of the Premier League.
Sunderland has a very good team bone, but it takes more quality to do well on top flights. The quality bay between the two divisions is extremely important and we cannot afford to risk heading towards the Premier League without proper reinforcement. It will be interesting to see if you can block the remaining weaknesses of your team before the transfer window closes.