Gossip: Could Sunderland move for Sheffield Wednesday defender as replacement for Lamine Kone?

According to a report in France, Sunderland could move for Sheffield Wednesday defender Claude Dielna as a replacement for Lamine Kone.

The 29-year-old centre-back has spent the last few months with Dinamo Bucharest after moving to Romania on loan in the January transfer window.

Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

The 6ft French-born player who can also operate at full-back found himself increasingly squeezed out of the first team picture at Hillsborough after joining the club from Greek outfit Olympiacos in 2014.

Dielna was a youth product at Lorient with Sunderland man Kone but was unable to make the breakthrough at the Brittany-based club and moved to FC Istres who were then bouncing between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2.

Restricted to just a handful of bench appearances during Carlos Carvalhal's tenure at Sheffield Wednesday, Dielna was placed on the transfer list after claiming the Owls had blocked him from leaving Hillsborough last summer. The press in South Yorkshire suggested he had been destined to sign for a fellow Championship club only for something to go amiss.

With Lamine Kone set to depart the Stadium of Light and Papy Djilobodji hinting he may follow suit, Sunderland will be in the market for centre-halfs this summer. Joleon Lescott is also likely to exit following his short-team deal and Manchester City man Jason Denayer will return to the Etihad to await his next posting.

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Some surprising stories have emerged regarding two of those above in recent days. Djilobodji last week told the media in Senegal that he believes he can remain in the Premier League with a summer move despite a disappointing first season with Sunderland and Denayer has been linked with Arsenal after a hit-and-miss spell on Wearside.

Clearly possessing ability but the jury out on his potential as a Premier League-class defender, 21-year-old Denayer has been mooted as a make-weight for Pep Guardiola's pursuit of Gunners' star Alexis Sanchez. In Djilobodji's case, the Championship is likely to be more his level.

As for Dielna, the report claims he is also a target for Fenerbahce or former clubs AC Ajaccio and Olympiacos. He appears to have had a decent spell in Romania making ten appearances in the Dinamo București who sit in 6th place in Liga 1.

Likely very little substance in the rumour, Sheffield Wednesday fans didn't rate Dielna as up to much. Here's something to help you make your own mind up:

He'd fit right in.