Aston Villa and AFC Bournemouth are looking to bolster their backlines with Trai Hume after the 22-year-old has been a key asset for Sunderland.
Sources have told Football Insider, that the right-back is in heavy favour for top-flight football after making 45 appearances for the Black Cats. The Northern Irish man has shown his ability this year with his stats showing his many strengths, such as his high number of touches and long ball completion rate.
Hume initially impressed after spells at Linfield FC and local side Ballymena United, convincing Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to pick the youngster up for £200k, according to Transfermarkt. The fullback has since been called upon 84 times in the North-East. The youngster has also made 11 appearances for his country this year including an impressive 1-0 victory over Scotland.
Under contract until 2027, the defender is rumoured to be valued by his club at £8 million. The Cherries are looking to build on their 12th-place finish in the Premier League, whilst Villa have secured Champions League football. However, if the West Midlands outfit wish to beat their top-flight rivals to this deal, they may need to make sales first, after reports suggested their spending power may be limited this summer due to concerns over Financial Fair Play breaches.
When Hume was asked about his capability in the Premier League, he told Sunday Sport Life:
“I think I could play in the Premier League, that’s the level I want to get to but I’m happy at Sunderland.”
Sunderland is still on the lookout for a new head coach after a lack-lustre 16th place finish in the Championship. The fullback contemplated his thoughts on the season saying:
“I played in every single game last season so that’s a positive. We didn’t finish where we wanted to finish.”
Writer’s Opinion
Trai Hume has been a pleasure to watch this campaign. His maturity levels on and off the ball are outstanding, a major reason why he is so endeared by the fans.
The right-back’s absence will be missed in the squad but he is more than capable of playing in the top flight. Both rumoured Premier League clubs will use Hume’s diversity on the pitch as he has played in all three positions across the backline.
