Premier League club Sunderland is hot on the heels of Napoli midfielder Walter Gargano with manager Paolo di Canio looking to add more spark to the centre of the midfield.

The North East club has by far been the busiest movers in the transfer market with the incumbent manager bringing in as many as eleven players in the close season as he continues his amazing squad overhaul following the club’s fight to stave off relegation last season.

But in spite of strengthening in other areas of the field, the club has failed to land a creative midfield player after their moves for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tom Hiddlestone and Inter Milan player Alfred Duncan fell through. And di Canio feels the midfield in the major problem in his new look Sunderland side and after scouring through the transfer markets in different countries, has set his eyes on bringing the Napoli player to the Stadium of Light.

The club already has two pacy wingers in England international Adam Johnson and Italian international Emanuele Giaccherini to play down the flanks. But according to the Italian manager, they do not have a good quality ball playing central midfielder capable of opening up defenses on a regular basis.

Gargano spent last season on loan with Inter Milan at the San Siro but the Milanese giants opted against making the move permanent and having been left out of the squad for the Emirates Cup by Napoli boss Rafael Benitez, it is thought that the player himself is keen to move to the Premier League as well.

Sunderland is also in the market for two top quality full backs as di Canio continues to stamp his own authority on the side he inherited from Martin O’Neill at the end of last season and managed to keep in the top flight.

New Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone has fired a warning at rival Kieran Westwood that he has come to the club to fight for a place in the first team.

Westwood, a Republic of Ireland international, has endured a very difficult two year spell at the club, finding himself as the second choice and he thinks the time is now right to become the first choice keeper for the club, but manager Paolo Di Canio has swiftly moved on to buy Mannone from Arsenal and has already briefed him to make things difficult for Westwood and provide competition for him.

The Italian spent eight years at North London and was a bit part player for most of that time and he is unwilling to play that same role again after moving to Wearside. Speaking after his move, he stated that he is a fighter and he loves a fight. Vito Mannone added that if there isn’t a fight to be had, then it makes things difficult because he is not someone who is habituated with watching proceeding from outside and wants to be in the thick of things at all times.

He mentioned that as soon as the offer to join Sunderland presented itself, he was certain that it was his next club because it is a place with a rich history and he is glad to have been able to make the move. He also mentioned that he needs to get back into perfect shape before the start of the new season and is aiming to work that extra hour to achieve it.

Vito Mannone joined Arsenal as a 17 year old in 2005 and has made only 27 appearances for the Gunners and has also spent time on loan at Hull City as well as Barnsley to gain experience.