Brugge target high-earning Sunderland defender, who is hoping to impress tonight in Belgium

Belgian Pro League champions Club Brugge KV are keen on securing the services of want-away Sunderland defender Bryan Oviedo - one of the players right near the top of the list of those that new owners Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven would like to move along before pre-season begins next month.

The 28-year old left back, who joined the club in January 2017, has played as part of the side that managed to get themselves relegated in two consecutive seasons and, despite the odd decent showing, has rarely proven himself as a capable defender on a consistent enough basis.

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Despite this, the Costa Rican has a decent international pedigree and during his time on Merseyside he was well liked by Everton supporters, who affectionately nicknamed him ‘Oviedo Baby’.

Oviedo is one of the top earners at the club - and it was described to us that his overall earnings in a season matches (and in some cases eclipses) the overall wage budgets of the majority of the teams we’ll be competing with next season, even after his contract takes a hit due to the relegation clause that was inserted into it upon his arrival.

Brugge will be playing Champions League football next season, which is understood to be a huge draw for Oviedo himself, and with his nation taking on Roberto Martinez’s side at Heysel Stadium in Brussels this evening its thought that he’s hoping to impress his Belgian admirers with a good performance in front of some very keen observers in the crowd.

Oviedo said goodbye to Sunderland supporters after he was subbed off for young debutant Denver Hume on the final day of last season, waving as he left the field which signaled his intentions to leave the club after what can only be described as a disastrous stay.