There has been a lot of talk about ‘the model’ at Sunderland in the wake of Tony Mowbray’s dismissal and the appointment of Michael Beale, but the one area where the club’s strategic approach has not really been tested is the sale of a big-name player. Will that change this month?
Time will tell, but having damaged their reputation in the eyes of the fans considerably over the last few weeks, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman really would have to go into crisis-management mode if they were to sell a leading asset in the next fortnight.
Jack Clarke? The interest from both West Ham and Brentford is certainly real, with Burnley also still a factor after their failed attempts to land the winger in January. Sunderland turned down a package worth around £12m then.
Would they do the same if someone bid £20m this month? Every player has their price, but in terms of sustaining Sunderland’s promotion ambitions in the second half of the season, Clarke could well be invaluable.
The talk around Anthony Patterson this week has been interesting, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool having been touted as suitors of the youngster.
At the start of the month, it seemed unlikely that anyone would move for the 23-year-old this month. If one of the Premier League big boys is worried about potential competition, however, it is far from inconceivable that they might opt to move this month.
A bid for Dan Neil is less likely, although given the long-standing top-flight interest in the midfielder, that is hardly impossible either.
When it comes to incomings, Beale could hardly have been clearer about the need for a new striker.
READ MORE:
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- Sunderland boss' stark striker admission after Ipswich defeat
Have Sunderland’s recruitment team learned their lesson from the summer, when four unproven forwards all arrived and struggled?
The Black Cats need a proven Championship forward to lead the line, but that goes against everything Speakman has been preaching about the ‘project’. Will this be the month when the hierarchy accept a need to change tack?
Sunderland could also do with a defensive midfielder to cover for the injured Corry Evans.
Pierre Ekwah has spent most of the season playing alongside Neil, but as the Newcastle game proved, the Black Cats can have a soft centre when teams break on them. If they are to remain in the play-off mix, they need reinforcements in the next fortnight.
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