Sunderland are looking to add some Championship experience to their squad this summer.
Sunderland had the youngest average age of their starting line-up last season (21 years old) when they were beaten 4-2 by Southampton.
Their inexperienced squad really struggled with the intensity and pressure of the second tier, having had the likes of Corry Evans and Danny Batth to help guide them the previous year.
Kristjaan Speakman has appeared to learn from his mistakes now and is exploring deals to bring in one or two older players, with a priority on replacing Evans in the middle of the park.
The Black Cats are already thought to hold a serious interest in Oliver Norwood, who was released by Sheffield United at the end of the season.
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Sunderland ‘keen’ to sign Preston North End legend
However, they are continuing to look at different options and are now reportedly ‘keen’ to snap up another Championship veteran.
Journalist James Copley wrote on X: “Sunderland are keen on a deal to sign former Preston North End midfielder, The Echo understands.”
The 29-year-old has spent his entire senior career with Preston, having joined the club in 2014.
Browne won promotion to the Championship in his second season and has since been a regular in the Lilywhites’ squad, racking up 46 goals and 26 assists in 414 appearances.
Preston offered the club legend a new three-year contract but he turned it down after ten years in Lancashire.
The Lancashire Post previously reported that his new deal was the most lucrative in the club’s history, but he instead preferred a fresh start elsewhere.
Alan Nixon reported in May that Browne had already attracted interest from Sheffield United and Coventry, though talk has gone quiet since he decided to leave Deepdale.
Should the Black Cats sign Alan Browne or Oliver Norwood?
Browne could be another very good signing for Sunderland, having spent a majority of his career in the Championship.
The midfielder knows the league like the back of his hand, and also isn’t afraid to chip in with some goals and assists too.
Browne picked up eight goal contributions and was hailed as ‘amazing’ by his teammates, while he made the third-most tackles in the squad (76), the third-most interceptions (54), had the second-most shots (45), the second-most dribbles (41) and the most key passes (46).
The 29-year-old would offer a bit of everything to Sunderland and is also four years Norwood’s junior.
The former United star does have four promotions under his belt though and is seen as more of a defensive midfielder.
It’s unclear whether Sunderland would only sign one or the other, but both would be brilliant additions and would help balance out Sunderland’s youthful squad.
Whether they would both fit into the starting line-up is another question though, with Dan Neil, Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham surely three of the first names on the team-sheet.