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George Bennett

Bordeaux want to 'reunite' former Sunderland pair Josh Maja and Joel Asoro

Bordeaux want to reunite former Sunderland pair Josh Maja and Joel Asoro, according to Swedish publication Sportsbladet.

Maja has been in a rich vein of form for Bordeaux this term - notching eight goals and three assists in 17 appearances in Ligue 2.

The Girondins were on the verge of being demoted to the third-tier following their relegation from Ligue 1 last season due to financial issues. However, the decision was later overturned by the FFF executive committee.

Bordeaux are now targeting an immediate return to the French top-flight and currently occupy an automatic promotion spot. They are trailing league leaders Le Havre by five points and are looking to strengthen their promotion pursuit with the signing of Asoro.

READ MORE: Sunderland's recruitment model now set for first real test after Ellis Simms' departure

Asoro and Maja both starred for the Black Cats at youth level, before breaking into the first team during the 2016-17 season. Asoro featured regularly as Sunderland suffered relegation to the Championship in 2017-18, and left the Stadium of Light for Swansea City at the end of the season.

The former Sweden U21 international struggled for playing time at the Liberty Stadium, and went out on loan to FC Groningen and Genoa respectively.

His Swansea departure was made permanent when he returned to his native Sweden to join Djurgarden in February 2021. The 23-year-old has registered 16 goals and 10 assists in 71 appearances for his current employers, including seven goals in this season's Europa Conference League campaign.

His form has attracted the attention of Bordeaux, who want to sign the right winger. If a transfer was to materialise then he would once again feature alongside his former Sunderland teammate Maja.

Maja remained at the Stadium of Light following Asoro's departure and scored 15 goals in 24 League One appearances during the first half of 2018-19 season.

He then left for Bordeaux in January 2019, but struggled to establish himself at the Matmut Atlantique. Maja scored eight goals in his first full season for Bordeaux, but was loaned out to Fulham and Stoke City in 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively.

Bordeaux's relegation from the top-flight has proven somewhat of a blessing in disguise for Maja. The 24-year-old is the joint-leading goal scorer in Ligue 2 along with Sochaux's Ibrahim Sissoko and Saint-Etienne's Jean-Philippe Krasso.

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