Sunderland defender Dan Ballard has been attracting attention for some time, and he has previously piqued the curiosity of the Premier League.
Sunderland bought him on a permanent basis from Arsenal last summer, and after going from strength to strength in red and white, he’s earning admiring glances once more.
Reporter Alan Nixon revealed on his Patreon that Burnley, who have previously been linked with Ballard, are once again interested in him. The Clarets are thought to be conducting pre-season research on the Northern Irishman.
Having said that, Sunderland would be well to consider potential replacements. Here are three things to think about…
Ronnie Edwards – Peterborough United
Edwards is one of the country’s brightest young center-back prospects. It appeared that the summer would finally bring him a promotion, but that did not happen.
The 20-year-old would be a big acquisition for a Championship club, but considering Sunderland’s track record, he may end up there. The only problem is that if he is acquired as a replacement for Ballard, a pairing of him and Luke O’Nien could be a little short.
Arouna Sangante – Le Havre
Perhaps a little optimistic, but given how Sunderland has previously delved into the French market, Sangante could be on their radar. Furthermore, if Ballard is sold, a substantial sum of money might be spent on signing a replacement.
Sangante, 21, is already captain of Ligue 1 club Le Havre. He’s a big figure at the back with a bright future, and if Sunderland are towards the top of the table, it might be worth enticing him to the north east before other clubs notice his potential.
![Mercato ] Le RC Lens penserait à Arouna Sangante, mais… | OneFootball](https://image-service.onefootball.com/transform?w=280&h=158&dpr=2&image=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lensois.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F06%2FArouna_Sangante.jpg)
Charlie Hughes – Wigan Athletic
Last but not least is Charlie Hughes, a youthful sensation making his mark in League One.
He burst into the scene in the second half of last season and has established himself as a Wigan Athletic star. He’ll also be attracting admiring views from the elite leagues, so a deal could be difficult.
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