Chelsea open door for Marc Guiu to re-sign for Sunderland - verdict
Chelsea have left the door ajar for Sunderland to move back in for former loan striker Marc Guiu this summer.
The Black Cats signed the 20-year-old on a season-long loan deal last summer, only to see the agreement cancelled by the parent club just three games into his spell on Wearside.
An injury to new signing Liam Delap convinced the West Londoners that they needed to recall the Spaniard, but he then just started one Premier League game for the Blues across the rest of the campaign.
Guiu's time at Chelsea hasn't worked out at all, and he is now one of a number of squad players that they are preparing to offload this summer.
New boss Xabi Alonso is blessed with a wealth of striker options, and Guiu finds himself well down the pecking order after a tumultuous 12 months.
Sunderland will surely be looking to add to their own attacking ranks this summer, and a move to bring Guiu back to the Stadium of Light may not be out of the question.
Chelsea have 'already decided' on Marc Guiu exit
Chelsea's stance on Guiu's future couldn't be any clearer this summer, with the capital club having "already decided" that he can leave, according to The Athletic.
They are prepared to accept another loan departure, or even a permanent exit, with the starlet attracting interest from several European clubs at the moment.
That should be music to the ears of Sunderland, who only have Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor as genuine striking options after Eliezer Mayenda's departure.
The Black Cats were big admirers of Guiu at this stage last summer, and if that admiration remains, then there may be little barrier to them doing a deal.
Chelsea's £25million asking price may make a permanent deal difficult, but the possibility of another loan would undoubtedly be doable.
The Spaniard also said in an interview with RTVE last October that he arrived at Sunderland with "great enthusiasm and excitement," which suggests that he may not be totally opposed to a return.
Sunderland facing battle to keep Brian Brobbey
Former Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that his former club are hoping to "block" any possibility of an exit for Brobbey this summer.
The Dutchman has been on the radar of all the top Premier League clubs in recent months, after a debut campaign that saw him net seven goals last term.
However, Brown has acknowledged that Sunderland could yet sanction his sale if "silly money" were to be put on the table.
The North East outfit look set to face a battle to keep the 24-year-old this summer, and if they were to lose him, it would increase their need for a new frontman even further.