Transfer Activity Reviewed for Burnley and Leeds United as Sunderland Nears Record Signing

Sunderland Close In on Record-Breaking Deal for Habib Diarra

Sunderland’s summer transfer activity is poised to reach a new high as the club edges closer to sealing a record £30 million deal for Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra. The Senegal international has emerged as a standout target, with the Black Cats reportedly set to finalise the move following a medical on Wearside.

Diarra’s arrival would represent a significant upgrade for the newly-promoted Premier League side and surpass the club’s previous record signing of Enzo Le Fée, who joined from Roma earlier this summer for £20 million. The 21-year-old’s growing reputation across Europe, after guiding Strasbourg to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 and securing Europa Conference League qualification, has made this a particularly exciting signing for fans.

In addition to Diarra, Sunderland have been linked with several other high-profile names including Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s Joe Gomez, and Sassuolo forward Armand Laurienté as club management looks to blend youthful talent with top-flight experience under Régis Le Bris.

Leeds United Begin Strengthening for Premier League Survival

Leeds United, having secured promotion as Championship title winners, have already made strategic moves in the transfer market as they prepare for their return to the Premier League.

Key Arrivals:

• Jaka Bijol – £15m from Udinese

• Lukas Nmecha – Free transfer from Wolfsburg

• Jack Harrison – Returned from loan at Everton

• Sam Greenwood – Returned from loan at Preston North End

• Joe Gelhardt – Returned from loan at Hull City

Departures:

• Rasmus Kristensen – £4m to Eintracht Frankfurt

• Joshua Guilavogui – Released

• Manor Solomon – End of loan from Tottenham Hotspur

• Joe Rothwell – End of loan from Bournemouth

Manager Daniel Farke is focused on building a resilient squad that can compete in the Premier League. Speaking about the club’s ambitions, he acknowledged the difficulty of survival:

“That’s definitely the plan [to stay up]. I don’t want to sound arrogant and say it’s easy. All the recently promoted clubs have big names and big budgets but still struggle. One thing is certain — we will give it everything.”

Burnley’s Busy Transfer Window Under Scott Parker

Burnley have been one of the most active clubs in the market this summer following their second-place finish in the Championship. Manager Scott Parker is overseeing a complete squad reshaping to ensure the Clarets are competitive in their Premier League return.

Significant Signings:

• Bashir Humphreys – £12m from Chelsea

• Marcus Edwards – £8.5m from Sporting CP

• Jaidon Anthony – £8m from Bournemouth

• Quilindschy Hartman – £7.6m from Feyenoord

• Zian Flemming – £7m from Millwall

• Max Weiss – £3m from Karlsruhe

• Axel Tuanzebe – Free transfer

They’ve also welcomed back several players returning from loan spells including Zeki Amdouni (Benfica), Han-Noah Massengo (Auxerre), and Hannes Delcroix (Swansea).

Departures:

• CJ Egan-Riley – Free transfer to Marseille

• Nathan Redmond – Released

• Jonjo Shelvey – Released

Manager Scott Parker acknowledged the critical nature of the transfer window:

“It’s a big summer. We’ve got a lot of work ahead. We’re already doing bits behind the scenes. It’s a big challenge next season, but we’re excited about what’s to come and ready to face those challenges head-on.”

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