Serie A club green light £17m transfer to Leeds, Sunderland or Fulham

Premier League trio Leeds United, Sunderland and Fulham have now joined the race to sign a £17m “star” this summer.

Leeds and Sunderland looking to kick on after avoiding relegation

It was a successful first season back in the big time for Leeds and Sunderland, with both sides managing to avoid relegation from the Premier League, which had to be the main aim, after being promoted from the Championship the previous season.

In fact, the Black Cats surpassed all expectations and managed to qualify for the Europa League, booking their place in the competition by winning their final two Premier League matches.

Fulham, on the other hand, are now an established Premier League club, with former manager Marco Silva stabilising them in the top flight over the course of the last four seasons.

However, with the 48-year-old returning to his native country and joining Benfica, there is an air of uncertainty heading into the summer, particularly considering they are yet to appoint a permanent successor.

One thing that is clear is all three sides are looking to bring in reinforcements this summer, and they have all entered the race for a defender.

Leeds, Sunderland and Fulham battling to sign South American “star”

That is according to journalist Santi Ponce, who recently took to X to reveal the three Premier League sides are keen on signing Parma defender Mariano Troilo, off the back of a successful debut campaign in the Serie A.

Troilo, who stands at 6 foot 4, only signed for Parma last summer, arriving from Argentinian side Club Atletico Belgrano, but he is already being eyed up for a move to the Premier League, with his current employers willing to green-light a sale to England if they receive at least €20m (£17m).

During his time in Argentina, the Cordoba-born defender received plaudits from former centre-back partner Lisandro Lopez, who said: “He is the star of the defense, a true professional.”

The 22-year-old took some time to establish himself in Italy, featuring in just one of the opening ten Serie A games, but he become a crucial player as the season wore on, making 21 appearances and averaging 10.1 defensive contributions per 90, more than any other Parma player.

It may be particularly important for Leeds to sign a new centre-back this summer, off the back of conceding 56 Premier League goals, with only Tottenham Hotspur shipping more and avoiding relegation.

Troilo is yet to prove himself over an extended period of time, but he could end up being a bargain at just £17m.

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