Sunderland Eye Move For Dodi Lukébakio Of Benfica Amid Malick Fofana To Crystal Palace Blow

Sunderland are reportedly making a last-minute transfer play to sign Benfica forward Dodi Lukébakio following the Malick Fofana to Crystal Palace saga.

On deadline day, reports emerged from David Ornstein of The Athletic that Sunderland had agreed a deal for Fofana with Lyon, and that the talented young winger was poised to join the Stadium of Light in a £30m deal.

With excitement ramping up on Wearside following the proposed Fofana signing, bombshell reports came to light that Sunderland's Premier League rivals Crystal Palace are poised to hijack the deal.

Although Fofana had agreed personal terms with Sunderland on a five-year contract, Palace had made a better financial offer to Lyon than the Black Cats, and now it seems that the 21-year-old starlet will reunite with his former Lyon boss Pierre Sage at Selhurst Park.

Following the monumental transfer blow for Sunderland, reporter Sacha Tavolieri revealed that the Stadium of Light recruitment team are plotting a late swoop for Lukébakio of Portuguese giants Benfica as a second-best option for the right-wing position.

The report outlines that talks are ongoing between Sunderland and Benfica to make a breakthrough regarding a permanent transfer for the 28-year-old Belgian international.

According to the report, right-winger Lukébakio has "opened the door" to the Sunderland move, with his current contract at the Liga Portugal powerhouses still having four years left to run.

In the late stages of last year's summer window Lukébakio joined Benfica from Sevilla for a reported €20m/£17.1m fee with €4m/£3.4m in add-ons, with the Spanish side retaining a 15 percent sell-on clause in any future transfer.

Last season, the Anderlecht academy product netted one goal and notched three assists in 23 outings in all competitions for Benfica, with zero goals in his 17 appearances in the Portuguese top flight as his side finished third behind runners-up Sporting and champions Porto.

This summer, Lukébakio made three appearances for Belgium at the World Cup, but failed to manage any goal contributions before he and his national side were knocked out by eventual winners Spain.

So far this season, the Belgian scored against Hearts and assisted against St.Gallen in Europa League qualification for Benfica, but has failed to notch a goal contribution within their opening three Liga Portugal outings.

Lukébakio is a profile of player that Sunderland need, in terms of being a left-footed right-winger, but his aforementioned recent goalscoring record is a worrying factor for the Black Cats amid his potential move to the Stadium of Light.

Now, it remains to be seen whether Sunderland's reported interest in the Benfica winger materialises into a deadline day move, but it certainly would be a disappointing climbdown from Palace-bound Fofana.