Guendouzi: Where Lazio stand after Sunderland interest and Le Bris admission

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has a great relationship with Lazio midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, but the Black Cats face a tough task in convincing the Biancocelesti to sell the Frenchman in January, Football Italia expert Alfredo Pedullà reports. 

Le Bris and Guendouzi have known each other well since their time together in Ligue 1 with Lorient. 

They have enjoyed a positive relationship since then, and it is understood that Le Bris asked Sunderland to make an approach for Guendouzi during the summer transfer window. 

There was little room for manoeuvre a few months ago, largely because of Lazio’s slow-moving transfer window. 

Le Bris spoke at a press conference on Thursday, admitting that he is still interested in a potential deal for Guendouzi: “It’s too early to talk about the next transfer window. We still have contacts with some players – Matteo is one of them because I worked with him at Lorient,” he admitted. 

“We’re still in touch, but at the moment nothing is happening. It’s too early. We have a strong midfield, and we’ll see.”

Guendouzi stayed on in Rome to play under Maurizio Sarri, and though he hasn’t looked outstanding in Serie A this season, he is still a key part of Lazio’s midfield. 

Sunderland are a wealthy club, like most in the Premier League. A €30m price tag for Guendouzi wouldn’t be offputting, but Lazio still need a midfielder themselves. Selling Guendouzi would further weaken a squad that has not seen any new arrivals since January. 

In a season that seems to be going backwards for the Biancocelesti, fans have organised a protest on Sunday following their uneventful transfer window and a seeming world record of new injuries.