Gustavo Poyet plotting Sunderland move for new Di Maria

Gustavo Poyet’s expert knowledge of South American football could help the Sunderland manager pull off a major coup with the signing of midfielder Adrian Centurion.

The 21-year-old has been widely regarded as one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from the Argentinean league, with a number of big clubs chasing his signature over the summer.

In the end the midfielder plumped for a loan move to Serie A side Genoa, where it was thought he would be given the time and opportunity to develop.

But the man previously dubbed the “new Di Maria” has featured just three times for the Italian club, and with faint hopes of a late call-up to Argentina’s national squad fading by the day, he is thought to be eager to end his association with I Rossoblu.

Genoa’s sparing use of the highly rated player could also suggest they are willing to call it quits and bring the loan agreement between themselves and parent side Racing Club to a premature end.

One man believed to be monitoring this situation is Poyet, with the Uruguayan keen to add some attacking flair to his squad and ease some of the pressure on the in-form Adam Johnson.

Centurion certainly represents a gamble for the Blackcats, but should he hit the ground running, then it could be the kind of move to help Sunderland avoid relegation, something priced at 4/7 with Ladbrokes.

The attacking star is one of a number of players that could be heading to Wearside, with Poyet already close to securing a move that would see Ignacio Scocco come to the Stadium of Light.

Already boasting European experience following a three year spell with AEK Athens in which he notched up 28 goals in 88 appearances, the 28-year-old Argentine could cost Sunderland as much as £3m and may not be the last of the new arrivals at the club this January.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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