Sunderland have been linked with several players over the years – and have come agonisingly close to sealing some remarkable deals.
While some opted to move elsewhere, others were not pursued as the Black Cats opted to make other signings instead. Just for fun, we’ve taken a look back over the last few decades at some of the deals which Sunderland missed out on.
From Premier League winners to international stars, here are some high-profile players who have been on the club’’s radar:
1. Virgil van Dijk
The Liverpool defender has admitted he once had conversations about signing for Sunderland when Gus Poyet was in charge at the Stadium of Light. The Dutchman instead made the move from Celtic to Southampton in 2015. Photo: Stu Forster
2. Toby Alderweireld
Sunderland made a bid to sign Alderweireld on loan from Atletico Madrid in 2014, with reports in Belgium claiming a deal had been agreed. The centre-back instead signed for Southampton on loan, before joining Tottenham a year later. Photo: Richard Heathcote
3. Ivan Rakitic
Former Sunderland scout Ian Atkins claimed the Black Cats could have signed the Croatian midfielder for less than £400,000 in compensation from German club Schalke in 2011. Sunderland decided to pass up on the opportunity. Photo: David Ramos
4. Diego Maradona
During a documentary on the History Channel in 2018, it was revealed the Argentinian wanted to join Sunderland in 1977. Maradona, then just 17-years-old, had burst onto the scene for the national team as well as his club side, Argentinos Juniors, yet his country, then ruled by a military dictatorship, declared Maradona 'untransferrable' and demanded he remained on home soil. Photo: Getty Images