Sunderland are weighing up a move for Sassuolo left-back Josh Doig as manager Régis Le Bris looks to strengthen his defensive options this summer.
The interest comes directly off the back of Dennis Cirkin’s departure, which left a clear gap on the left side of the Sunderland backline heading into a demanding season.
The Black Cats are no longer simply a Premier League outfit building for survival, having secured European football following a seventh-place finish last season.
That continental commitment means Le Bris will need genuine depth across all positions to handle a significantly heavier fixture schedule than in previous campaigns.
Their summer recruitment has been measured compared to last year, with experienced right-back Thomas Meunier arriving while Cirkin, Dan Neil, and Eliezer Mayenda have all departed the club.
Doig, 24, has spent several years developing his game in Italy, initially joining Hellas Verona from Hibernian in 2022 before moving to Sassuolo in January 2024.
He has since established himself as a regular on the left side at Sassuolo, accumulating meaningful senior experience across multiple Serie A campaigns.
According to the Daily Record, as relayed by Sunderland Echo, the Wearside club have registered a formal interest in the Scottish defender as they assess their options.
However, Sunderland are not the only club monitoring Doig’s situation, with Marseille and Olympiakos both also understood to be interested in the left-back.
Marseille could represent the most significant obstacle in this pursuit, particularly given that they can also offer European football as an attraction for a player at this stage of his career.
Olympiakos present a similar challenge, meaning Sunderland cannot rely solely on the appeal of Premier League football to win the race for his signature.
At 24, Doig sits at an ideal point in his development, young enough to continue improving but experienced enough to contribute immediately at a high level without a lengthy bedding-in period.
Sunderland’s ability to move quickly may ultimately prove decisive if they view the defender as a genuine priority before rival clubs accelerate their own approaches.
With Cirkin gone and Europa League football on the horizon, addressing the left-back position before the season begins looks like an important piece of business for the club.
