Report: Sunderland ready to smash transfer record with stunning move for Barcelona star

Sunderland AFC are reportedly poised to shatter their transfer record with a whopping €80 million (£70.3m) bid for FC Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez.

In a move that signals the Black Cats’ rapid transition from Premier League surprise package to genuine European contenders, Sunderland have identified the 22-year-old Spanish international as the “axis” of their ambitious future project.

If completed, the deal would not only be the biggest in Sunderland’s history but one of the most...