Report: Ghanaian Midfielder Next On Sunderland Wish List?

Reports in Italy suggest that Inter Milan midfielder Alfred Duncan is the latest name to join the now ludicrously long list of players Sunderland are allegedly tracking this summer.

The reports seem to have emanated from Sky Italia and have quickly spread, though they also insist that the Black Cats' €6m (around £5m) offer has been rejected with Inter seeing the player as an important part of their own future.

The 20-year-old Ghanaian worked with Sunderland's recently confirmed new chief scout, Valentino Angeloni, at the Giuseppe Meazza having come through the Nerazzurri's academy, which perhaps adds a little extra fuel to the fire of what would otherwise probably be a pretty tenuous link.

On the surface at least, he also appears to tick many of the boxes with regard Sunderland's new recruitment policy. He is a young, emerging talent, who won't break the bank in terms of wages. He can also offer the kind of mobility and physical strength Paolo Di Canio is known to crave for the spine of his team.

Duncan is yet to make any meaningful breakthrough at Inter Milan, but did spend a highly impressive loan spell at Livorno last season, where he was credited with playing an important role in securing the Tuscany-based club's return to Serie A.

Taken on face value, it is an interesting link. Whether there is any substance to it very much remains to be seen, but one we'll follow nevertheless.