Sunderland target Djilobodji is set to join Trabzonspor on a €2.3 million deal according to Nantes based newspaper Presse Océan.

The Black Sea Storm have been closely linked with the 27-year-old defender over the past fortnight.

Trabzonspor sporting director Suleyman Hurma recently told NTV Spor that the club are interested in the Senegal international.

“We have made our offer and will wait for a response now, it is normal for other clubs to also be interested,” Hurma was quoted as saying.

The Mirror report that Premier League outfit Sunderland are also interested in the 27-year-old defender.

Djilobodji would be quite a coup for Trabzonspor according to French football analyst and journalist Brendán MacFarlane.

MacFarlane told Turkish-football.com: “Standing at 6 foot 4 inches, Djilobodji is an uncompromising and forceful centre-back, who rarely comes out second best in aerial duels – He is also deceptively quick for his size, and though he is not blessed with blistering natural pace, he has a natural sense of positional awareness which allows him to be in the right place at the right time to intercept and to clear the danger, a feat which he has become to be especially renowned for.”

Trabzonspor scored the highest number of goals from free-kicks in the league last season and MacFarlane underlined that Djilobodji could add to the Black Sea based sides set-piece threat.

“He is a gifted header of ball, acting as both a reliable centre-back at his own end of the pitch and a potentially dangerous target-man at the other end from set-pieces,” he added.

Djilobodji does however, have a few weaknesses that he could do with working on.

“However there are areas in which he will need to improve if he is to become a top quality defender, most obviously his lack of composure when in possession and his sometimes sloppy use of the ball from feet. His decision-making is by and large sensible, however at times he lacks the technically ability to pick out passes,” MacFarlane said.

Trabzonspor signed Chelsea winger Marko Marin on loan last week and sporting director Süleyman Hurma revealed that the club would be making another two transfers over the summer.

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