Nice latest club to join Khazri race

NICE are the latest club to be linked with a move for Sunderland’s World Cup-bound playmaker Wahbi Khazri.

The attacking midfielder seems certain to leave Wearside after two and a half seasons.

The 27-year-old joined the Black Cats in the Premier League, but has little appetite for playing in League One, where they now find themselves.

Thanks to a good season on loan at Rennes, the Tunisian seems to have plenty of options, and a good World Cup should only widen his scope if a deal is not done by then. The Africans are in a high-profile group, playing England and Belgium in their first two games.

Le10 Sport are reporting that Nice are the latest French club to have contacted Khazri’s representatives about a move, and say “first negotiations” are underway.

Rennes president Olivier Letang says his club are waiting to hear back from Khazri about making his loan move permanent, and are anxious for a swift response as other, wealthier, clubs are hovering in the background. Marseille and Lyon have also been linked.

Sunderland paid around £9m for Khazri halfway through the 2016-17 season, and he was influential in their escape from relegation under Sam Allardyce – but he never hit the same heights on Wearside once he took the England manager’s job.

Khazri was a terrace cause celebre under David Moyes, with fans frustrated the Scot did not trust the talented but mercurial player. Whether his too often ineffective performances were a result of his lack of game time or vice-versa was debatable.

Moyes’ replacement Simon Grayson seemed no more convinced, however, playing Khazri for just 74 minutes of the season’s opening five Championship matches before sending him out on loan.

Khazri’s wages had to be subsidised to the tune of around £8,000 a week for that to happen, and his pay could be a stumbling block in him moving on.

Sunderland, though, need to have a clear out of their former Premier League players. Last season’s wage bill of £35m was high for the Championship and will have to come down massively in League One.

Fortunately, Khazri is not the only player in demand. Cardiff City and Torino are both reported to have bid in excess of £6m for Didier Ndong, with further interest reported in France and Turkey.