Kone confident of boosting goal tally with Sunderland

Lamine Kone was Sunderland’s unlikely goal hero in last season’s relegation battle and the defender insists he can find the back of the net frequently after getting off the mark in pre-season.

After a protracted transfer saga with French side Lorient, Kone proved one of the signings of the January transfer window and scored twice in a 3-0 victory over Everton in May – a result that secured Sunderland’s Premier League status.

(Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Unsurprisingly the 27-year-old has been the subject of interest – with the Toffees rumoured to be sniffing around – but he is set to line up for Sunderland in their season opener against Manchester City next week.

And after netting in Friday’s draw with Borussia Dortmund, Kone believes he can pick up from where he left off.

“I’m very happy with my goal,” he said. “It’s my first in pre-season and I’m looking for more when the season starts – I hope to score five or six this season.

“It’s the best way to prepare or next week and the start of the Premier League when we play Man City.

“I’ve played four games and I feel really positive after; I’m feeling fit and strong.

“We gave a strong performance against a team of good players; it was the best test for us for the last game.

“They have [Mario] Gotze, [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, [Adrian] Ramos and many more big players, I was happy with how we played. It was very positive.”