There has been a curious statistic doing the rounds on social media pertaining to Sunderland's player participation at the World Cup.

The Black Cats have a fair few players competing out in Central and North America, more, in fact, than Real Madrid (eight). And Liverpool too, if you exclude Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate, both leaving on free transfers in a few weeks.

This is a story of progress for the Stadium of Light side, who not only survived a relegation battle on their big return to the Premier League this season but actually qualified for the Europa League when they beat Chelsea on the final day of the term.

Now, Regis Le Bris is targeting top-class upgrades across a number of positions. Midfield pumps the life-blood of the Frenchman's system, and that is where he is looking to add some fresh quality.

Sunderland open talks for Serie A superstar

Last summer, after securing promotion from the Championship, Sunderland spent a club-record £30m sum on Habib Diarra. For the most part, the Wearsiders' transfer strategy was spot on, but the 22-year-old has struggled throughout his maiden term in England.

There's plenty of room for improvement, but Sunderland weren't the most creative side in England this season, and they need to add more impetus and fluency in the middle of the park - especially now that Le Bris has to juggle domestic duties with a European campaign.

According to reports from Italy, Juventus' Khephren Thuram has been chosen as the dream target to make that happen, with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest both opening talks with the Serie A giants over a big-money move.

Thuram, 25, would not come cheap. Other reports have valued him at roughly £43m. This would constitute a record payment from the Black Cats, but it might just be worth it for one of the most complete midfielders in Europe.

Whether the Frenchman would entertain a move to Sunderland is still uncertain, however.

Why Thuram would be a Diarra upgrade for Sunderland

Thuram is a well-rounded midfielder, physical and in control of the technical side of the game, robust and durable enough to settle into the Premier League, regarded as a more intense and gruelling battleground than Serie A.

When coveted by Liverpool in 2023, analyst Sam McGuire suggested that he would become a "monster" under Jurgen Klopp, and now, the France international could finally land his move to the Premier League.

He'd fit right in at Sunderland, helping to progress Le Bris' system while instilling composure and fluency on the ball. When against the run of play, he is strong and combative, more than capable of aligning with the Wearside manager's defensive principles.

For sure, he would prove an upgrade on Diarra, who has been a big disappointment since joining the club one year ago. The jury is indeed still out, but Diarra has failed to create or progress play with any kind of confidence or regularity, playing into a wider problem at the club, unable to create well enough.

'Second-season syndrome' can be a real problem for newly-promoted outfits who have made a strong start to their Premier League journey, and Sunderland now need to divide English and European duties. Thuram can certainly help on both fronts.

The fact that Sunderland are competing with the likes of Liverpool (and against the affluence of the Saudi Pro League) for a proven midfielder such as Thuram is evidence of how far they have come under Le Bris' wing.

With Thuram combining with the likes of Granit Xhaka in the Sunderland engine room, that rise should only continue.