Sunderland can make a promotion-winning deal in January by signing former Liverpool UCL winner - opinion

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Sunderland have enjoyed a really productive start to the Championship campaign.

Regis Le Bris’s side have won four of their opening five games and reside in second place, a point adrift of league leaders West Bromwich Albion.

A play-off finish would’ve been considered a success before the season began but now there’s genuine belief automatic promotion can be achieved.

To help them in that quest, Sunderland should sign a former Liverpool Champions League winner in January…

Sunderland should try to sign Naby Keita in January

Sunderland were in talks to sign Werder Bremen midfielder Naby Keita earlier this month but terms couldn’t be agreed, according to Ed Aarons.

Clearly, Keita was entertaining the idea of a switch to Sunderland so the Black Cats should reignite their interest in Janaury and try again to close a deal.

If he were to sign, it’d put the rest of the Championship on red alert and could be the catalyst for automatic promotion.

Keita won the Champions League with Liverpool, so having that experience in the dressing room would be invaluable for Le Bris’s men.

Plus, the 29-year-old, should he stay fit, would immediately become perhaps the best midfielder in the Championship.

Naby Keita injury record

Keita’s injury record would provide a cause for concern.

The Guinea international made just one start last term which followed five in the previous campaign, so evidently Sunderland should consider that before making an offer.

Keita has been frozen out at Werder Bremen, so he could be available for a discounted fee, with all parties eager to make a deal happen.