Sunderland have been linked with a 6 ft 7 midfielder in the final week of the January window.
Sunderland look to have finally kickstarted their hunt for midfield reinforcements this week, having been left without a recognised number six since Corry Evans suffered a serious injury in January 2023.
The Black Cats are reportedly ‘in negotiations’ with Barnsley’s Callum Styles and could sign the Hungarian on a loan with an obligation to buy.
A deal looks well on its way after Styles was left out of The Tykes’ win over Oxford United yesterday, however it appears that Sunderland are still considering other options too.
According to L’Equipe, Michael Beale’s side are considering a move for Lyon’s Skelly Alvero.
Alvero has struggled for minutes in France this term and looks increasingly likely to leave the club before the January window closes.
The 21-year-old already rejected a loan move to Belgian outfit RWD Molenbeek, while it has been reported that Werder Bremen are currently leading the race for his signature.
The German side have already made a loan offer with an option to buy in the summer, which could prove to be difficult to compete with for Sunderland.
The Black Cats aren’t the only English club to have admired Alvero recently either, with Fabrizio Romano reporting in March 2023 that Crystal Palace and Borussia Moenchengladbach were tracking the midfielder prior to his move to Lyon.
Who is Skelly Alvero?
Skelly Alvero joined Sochaux’s academy in 2017, before becoming a regular for the B team during the 2021-22 season.
He was then promoted to the senior team during the 2022-23 campaign and made 31 appearances, playing alongside Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda.
Alvero’s impressive form for Sochaux earned him a €4 million (£3.4m) move to French giants Lyon in the summer.
He has since made six starts in Ligue 1 and netted his first goal in a 1-1 draw with FC Metz in November.
However, Alvero has only made one league appearance since Pierre Sage was appointed as Lyon’s manager, while he has been left out of the match-day squad for the previous five games.
According to a scout report by Foot The Ball following Palace’s interest, Alvero has ‘impressive dribbling and passing skills’, while his height and frame also means he wins a lot of dead-ball situations.
He is also blessed with ‘immense pace’ and can play as both a traditional number six and as a box-to-box midfielder.