Spend continues at Leeds United's key new rivals in £17m deal for French forward from Serie A side

Leeds United’s new Premier League rivals Sunderland are set to fork out another £17m to land a French forward as their seventh big signing of the summer.

Promoted as Championship play-offs winners, Sunderland have already shelled out around £100m to sign Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Chemsdine Talbi, Enzo Lee Fee and Noah Sadiki in addition to landing Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer.

Attacker to join from Serie A side

But the recruitment continues at the Stadium of Light and the Black Cats are now set to sign 26-year-old French attacker Armand Laurienté from newly-promoted Serie A side Sassuolo.

Capped for France’s under-21s, Laurienté worked under Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris at former club Lorient.