Sunderland receive potential boost in bid to land striker target

Youngster banished to the reserves in contract row as club soften stance on January deals.

Sunderland have received a potential boost in their bid to sign Andras Nemeth, with Genk apparently softening their stance on refusing to sell contract rebels.

Nemeth has been heavily linked with Sunderland this month with the Black Cats keen to give him six months to acclimatise to English football before he takes a bigger role next season.

He will be a free agent in the summer, and previous reports claimed Genk were determined to not allow any of their soon-to-be out-of-contract players to leave this month, even if that means losing them for nothing in the summer.

Nemeth has actually been banished to the reserves since the World Cup break due to his refusal to sign a new deal, with his last appearance coming on November 13 as a late substitute against Anderlecht.

However, according to HLN, Genk are set to allow another youngster in a similar situation to Nemeth, Sekou Diawara, to join Udinese. That suggests their stance on Nemeth may not be as immovable as has been previously reported.

“Hamburg and Sunderland have concrete interest in 20-year-old Andras Németh,” the report says. “He recently refused to renew his contract and was therefore returned to the reserves.”

It will certainly be an interesting one to watch develop in the final days of the transfer window. 

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