Sunderland offers a Championship lifeline to a 27-year-old, providing a significant boost in their managerial search

Sunderland are interested in signing Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung-ho this summer, Football Insider reports.

Sunderland hoped to sign the South Korean international during the January transfer window.

Seung-ho, 27, ended up joining the Blues on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

However, according to the most recent update on his condition from Football Insider, the Black Cats are ‘plotting’ a fresh move for him at the end of the season.

Sunderland are interested in a Birmingham City player.

Seung-ho’s future at Birmingham City may depend on whatever league they play in next season. They are fighting for their survival right now under Gary Rowett, with two games remaining.

He is unlikely to stay with the Midlands club if they fall into League One.

Seung-ho would provide more competition and depth in the middle of the park, as well as experience for the Black Cats’ young roster.

Sunderland, Sunderland could provide a Championship lifeline to the 27-year-old if the team is relegated

He began his career with Barcelona before moving on to Peralada and Girona on a permanent basis.

The Seoul native came to Germany in 2019 and spent two years with Darmstadt, both of which competed in the Bundesliga.2.

Seung-ho then joined Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the K-League, where he appeared 106 times across all competitions and scored 11 goals.

Birmingham City’s current focus is on staying up after a 0-0 draw away to Rotherham United over the weekend.

They return to action on Saturday, with a key away trip to Huddersfield Town before facing Norwich City on the final day.

Stade de Reims, a French club, is looking for potential alternatives for manager would Still, despite ongoing talk that Sunderland would approach the 31-year-old this summer.

The Black Cats have had a difficult season after initially eyeing a second consecutive top-six finish in the Championship. They made the surprising decision to break ways with Tony Mowbray in December before bringing in Michael Beale. However, the former Queens Park Rangers manager’s stay was nothing short of disastrous, as he was also fired after only 12 games.

With their play-off hopes dashed, Mike Dodds was appointed interim manager until the end of the season. It was indicated that the search for a permanent successor will be a lengthy one, with the Wearsiders eager to get their next appointment right.

Several candidates have been associated with the role, including former managers Alex Neil and Roy Keane, as well as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Paul Heckingbottom, and Danny Rohl. Will Still, a highly regarded Reims coach, is one of the favourites.

The young Brit was heavily connected to the position in December, forcing his present club to respond to the speculation. He has a contract until next summer and has made it clear that he wants to manage in England.

Although he still has a year left on his current contract, it appears that the Ligue 1 club is planning for his departure. According to Le Parisien via L’Union, Reims have targeted Red Star boss Habib Beye, who is expected to leave the club at the end of the season.

Beye has led his current club to the top of the Championship National this season. With promotion to Ligue 2 secured, the former Newcastle United and Aston Villa defender has piqued the interest of a number of top-tier clubs. This is supposed to include Lyon, Reims, and RC Lens.

Les rouges et blancs are still hoping to keep Still for next season. However, with prospective replacements lined up, this might present an opportunity for Sunderland. Reims still has a slim possibility of qualifying for Europe, despite currently ranking 10th in the table.

Writer’s perspective

The French side has previously stated that they will not allow Still to leave the club. This is the first time they have publicly discussed a possible exit, which might be a significant boost for Sunderland.

The 31-year-old is still one of the favourites for the post at the Stadium of Light, but with some risk attached. The Black Cats understand that they must get this appointment right after getting the previous one so horribly wrong. As a result, they may choose someone like Paul Heckingbottom, who has previous experience getting out of the division.