The Black Cats held a series of discussions over Bulka and had agreed the framework of a financial agreement with French club Nice.
However, Neom also moved for the 25-year-old as they look to strengthen their squad in the wake of last season’s promotion to the Saudi Pro League and formally completed the signing of the Poland international yesterday.
Neom, who have also signed Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma, have paid around £12.7m to sign Bulka, and have handed the shot-stopper a lucrative four-year contract that is reportedly worth around £160,000-a-week. That is far more than Sunderland were willing to pay for a goalkeeper to compete with current number one, Anthony Patterson.
Having accepted they were not going to be able to sign Bulka last week, the Black Cats switched their attention to Chelsea’s Djordje Petrovic.
Sunderland officials have held detailed talks over a potential £21.5m move for Petrovic, but Chelsea have not accepted a formal offer for the Serbian, who has a host of different options on the table as he considers his future.
The Black Cats are not the only club to have held talks with Chelsea over Petrovic, who spent last season playing in the French top-flight with Strasbourg, where he was a team-mate of recent Sunderland signing Habib Diarra.
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Bournemouth have held advanced discussions as they look to sign a replacement for Kepa Arrizabalaga, who spent last season on loan at the Vitality Stadium, but who completed a permanent move to Arsenal from Chelsea last week.
Bournemouth have discussed financial terms of their own with the Chelsea hierarchy, with Turkish club Galatasaray also believed to be involved ongoing talks over Petrovic.
Weekend reports in Turkey claimed Petrovic had expressed a preference for a move to Istanbul, but with Chelsea adamant they will not accept less than £20m, Galatasaray could struggle to fund a successful move.
Sunderland remain hopeful of being able to engineer a deal of their own, but the Black Cats are assessing alternative options, with Wolves’ Sam Johnstone having been mentioned as a potential target in the last 24 hours.
Unlike Petrovic, who the Black Cats are hoping to sign permanently, a move for Johnstone would almost certainly involve a season-long loan. The experienced 31-year-old is contracted to Molineux until 2027, but currently finds himself behind Jose Sa, Dan Bentley and youngster Tom King in the pecking order at Wolves.
If he was to move to the Stadium of Light, he would find himself competing with Patterson, who has been the subject of transfer interest himself in the last few days with Southampton having signalled their interest in securing his services.
Sunderland have completed three transfers so far this summer, signing Enzo Le Fee on a permanent basis from Roma and also recruiting Diarra and Noah Saliki.
They have agreed terms with left-back Reinildo, who is a free agent following his release from Atletico Madrid, and are also close to completing the £19.5m purchase of Club Brugge winger Chemsdine Talbi.
Talbi has established himself as one of the most exciting talents in Belgium football and starred for Club Brugge last season, playing 11 times in the Champions League and scoring twice.
The 20-year-old is comfortable playing on either flank and will boost Regis Le Bris’ attacking options, with Sunderland having prioritised the arrival of at least one new wide player this summer.
Patrick Roberts and Romaine Mundle were Sunderland’s first choice wingers last season, but the latter’s campaign was disrupted by two injury setbacks. With Tommy Watson having left for Brighton, the Black Cats looked short in the wide areas.
The arrival of Talbi will be another major coup for Sunderland, with the winger having been of interest to Napoli, RB Leipzig and at least three clubs in Saudi Arabia this summer.
