Sunderland is in battle with European and South American clubs to sign the 21-year-old winger who has already won seven senior international caps for Chile

Sunderland are interested in signing Universidad Catolica winger Alexander Aravena.

According to a report from Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte via Sport Witness, a number of clubs in Europe and South America are interested in the 21-year-old.
Who exactly is Alexander Aravena?

Aravena rose through the Universidad Catolica youth ranks and is now making a name for himself at the club’s senior level.

To date, the 21-year-old has made 36 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists.

Aravena also impressed during a loan spell with another Chilean top-flight side, Nublense, last year, where he netted 12 goals and supplied three assists in 38 games.

That form has already earned the winger seven senior international caps for Chile, and it seems as though it has attracted plenty of attention in him, from across the football world.

Sunderland could sign Aravena?
According to the most recent update, Sunderland made enquiries about signing Aravena during the summer transfer window, but no deal was ultimately struck.

Granada of Spain, AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands, and Club Brugge of Belgium are believed to have expressed interest in Aravena over the summer.

Meanwhile, Athletico Paranaense, a Brazilian top-flight club, is said to have made contact about a possible move for the winger.

Aravena’s contract with Universidad Catolica is set to expire at the end of this calendar year, which means he will be a free agent in less than a month.

That, of course, could potentially open the door for Sunderland to make another move to secure the 21-year-old’s services before the end of the season.

Sunderland’s position in the Championship is unknown.

Sunderland have made a similar strong start to the season after reaching the Championship play-offs last season.

The Black Cats have already collected 26 points from their 16 league games this season, putting them sixth in the second-tier table, 13 points behind the automatic promotion places.

Sunderland will return to action after the international break on Saturday, November 25th, when they travel south to Home Park to face Plymouth Argyle.

Would Aravena be a good signing for Sunderland?

It appears that revisiting their interest in Aravena would be a wise move for the Black Cats.

The 21-year-old’s form for Universidad Catolica shows a lot of promise, and the fact that he’s earning international opportunities and attracting so much attention shows how good he can be.

As a result, winning the race for his signature could be a coup for Sunderland, and the fact that they have recently recruited from the Americas, bringing in Jewison Bennette from Costa Rica, could give them confidence about a deal like this.

Meanwhile, the fact Aravena will soon be available on a free transfer is a bonus from a financial perspective, so this does look to be a deal that is worth pursuing for Sunderland.