Lamine Kone is ready to shun interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton
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Sunderland's Lamine Kone scores against Borussia Dortmund
According to the Daily Mail, Sunderland defender Lamine Kone wants to stay at the Stadium of Light, despite interest from Arsenal,
Everton and Chelsea.
Kone, 27, joined Sunderland from Lorient back in January, and he repaid Sam Allardyce's faith in him with a series of outstanding performances during the club's fight against relegation.
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Lamine Kone scores the second goal for Sunderland against Everton
The Ivory Coast international helped stabilise a porous Sunderland defence, and impressed with his uncompromising nature, displaying great strength and aerial ability whilst being strong in the tackle too.
Those performances appear to have triggered major interest in Kone's signature, and with Allardyce - the man who signed him - now gone to take the England job, teams are seemingly hoping to try and lure the centre back away from Wearside.
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Sunderland's Lamine Kone in action with Watford's Troy Deeney
The Daily Mail report that Everton are particularly keen to sign Kone given the major question marks over the future of defender John Stones, but they're not the only ones pursuing his signature.
It's added that London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea have both looked at Kone with a view to making a move for him, but all three interested clubs could be left disappointed.
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Sunderland's Lamine Kone in action with Crystal Palace's Jordon Mutch
The Daily Mail claim that Kone wants to stay at Sunderland and will ignore interest from any
Premier League clubs, as he intends to start the new Premier League season with
the Black Cats.