How might the remainder of Sunderland's transfer window pan out?
Today at 01:00 AM
With plenty of business potentially still to be done, what needs to happen in terms of incomings and outgoings in order to give us the best chance of promotion?
Calum Mills says…
I feel there'll be a striker coming through the door, but that it won't be Tom Cannon.
There seems to be concrete interest in Matija Frigan from Westerlo and he fits our model: young and one for the future, but surely we can convince an 'experienced' striker to join and help the promotion push?
I said in a recent article that I'd like to see cover for both right and left back, especially now that Aji Alese's more than likely out for the season. In recent years, I've always hoped for more cover in midfield but right now this is our strongest position with the recent addition of Enzo Le Fée.
I also hope we usher players like Abdoullah Ba and Jewison Bennette out of the door permanently. They're both on good contracts and appear to have zero future in the first team.
Bennette would be easier to move on, as he did go out on loan last season to get game time, albeit he injured himself quite quickly in Cyprus. Ba is, in my opinion, lazy and uninterested, which won't bring him many suitors (he could've used the Adil Aouchiche approach to getting back in the team, but has clearly decided not to).
Elsewhere, Joe Anderson should be pushing for a loan.
He seemed to do well last season at Shrewsbury and he is playing regularly for the U21's whilst also popping up on the bench for the first team. I feel the hierarchy see something in him which is why he's not been moved out already. He's performed well for the U21's and has a good left foot on him.
Another person I'd like to see get some game time in League One or Two is Harrison Jones. He's been an ever present in our matchday squad; he started and played well against Stoke City in the FA Cup, and I think he's outgrown reserve team football.
John Wilson says…
It looks as though the club are trying to get another striker in, and obviously one that has experience and is ready to hit the ground running. There's nothing much new there, as that's been our mantra for the last two or three windows.
Of course, with the signing of Enzo Le Fée, the club has served notice that we're going for it this season, and therefore there'll hopefully be more wriggle room when it comes to finances and tempting players to come.
That should actually read as tempting clubs to sell, because if players need tempting to come on a financial basis, then we don't want them!
I wouldn't say no to a striker of course, but looking at it from the club's prudence and money point of view, when everyone is fit, we already have Wilson Isidor, Eliezer Mayenda, Ahmed Abdullahi and Nazariy Rusyn.
There's not a lot wrong with our squad when everyone is available, but we're weak at right back, where Trai Hume needs cover, and not just Luke O'Nien, so I'd be much happier if we could get at least one more defender or two.
I often think outgoings are slightly harder to talk about, as fans aren't party to long term plans or who's doing what in training.
Certainly, you assume you can trust the club to develop the youngsters as they see fit, either with a loan deal or deciding they aren't going to make the grade, but as for the more senior players, just as Aaron Connolly was never going to work, neither are Nazariy Rusyn or Abdoullah Ba.
They need to go and quickly, but I'm not as sure about Jewison Bennette,
I still feel there's something there, especially as I'm unconvinced by Ian Poveda thus far, but the satisfying thing for me, especially after the Le Fée deal, is that the club know what they're doing and what's needed, so I can feel content at that.
