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.