Sunderland are keen to bolster their midfield options with the signing of Sevilla's Vicente Iborra, however will face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion.
"?Reported in the Daily Mail, the Black Cats have opened talks with the Spanish side over a £7m move for the player, who manager David Moyes holds in the highest regard following his time in La Liga with Real Sociedad.
Primarily a defensive midfielder, Iborra who possesses excellent ball control is also able to play further forward as he demonstrated when scoring the winner against Barcelona last October.
The 28-year-old made 47 appearances last season as Sevilla retained the Europa League for a third successive time. Iborra did feature in the Spanish side's victory over Liverpool in Basel, entering the fray with just minutes remaining.
Holding a wealth of experience, Moyes is keen on bringing the Spaniard to the Stadium of Light as the Scot looks to pull Sunderland away from their customary relegation dogfight.
Having replaced Sam Allardyce at the helm in the north east, the former Everton and Manchester United boss is eager to add his stamp on the playing squad.
His side looked fragile in midfield as they fell to their second successive 2-1 defeat in the league, as Middlesbrough came away from the Tyne Wear derby with all three points.
The addition of Iborra would certainly add resilience to the floundering midfield, however Moyes will face a tough test in the pursuit of the Sevilla man who has also interested Swansea and West Brom following a number of impressive performances.