Sunderland have had a bid rejected for Matija Frigan.
The Black Cats failed with a £3.4 million offer to sign the HNK Rijeka forward, according to sportske novosti.
Frigan enjoyed a stellar breakthrough season with his boyhood club, netting 13 goals in 27 league appearances as they finished fourth in the table and secured a place in the Europa Conference League second qualifying round.
Rijeka are reportedly expecting bids for one of their star players, with the Daily Record claiming Rangers were interested in signing Frigan in May. The Croatian club also rejected a bid from New York City FC last season, with the MLS outfit likely to have retained an interest in the attacker.
It’s unclear how much Rijeka will demand for Frigan, however it seems unlikely that Sunderland will be willing to splash the cash on the striker after previously refusing to bid a seven-figure fee for Ellis Simms.
Sunderland will struggle to land a new striker with their limited funds
It would be understandable if Sunderland can’t afford to make a second bid for Matija Frigan given his lack of experience in English football, however their limited funds could make it difficult to sign anyone of high quality.
The Black Cats could do with landing a permanent deal for a new forward, though finding a proven goalscorer would also come alongside a hefty price tag.
The Wearside club need to try and balance their cash and bringing in a quality attacker, rather than being forced to look lower down the list or end up being forced to pick up more loan deals.
However, Sunderland should definitely consider loans elsewhere on the pitch. Amad Diallo, Joe Gelhardt, Ellis Simms and Edouard Michut proved their success in that area of recruitment last season and they will be eager to replicate an impressive series of transfers this time round.