Phil Smith's Sunderland AFC January transfer Q&A: The next priorities plus Patrick Roberts and Will Grigg latest
and live on Freeview channel 276
Kristjaan Speakman told The Echo at the start of the month that he expects the club to conclude a similar mix of short and long-term deals to last January, so where will the next priorities be and what’s the current state of play?
Phil Smith runs through some of the key questions in his latest Q&A below….
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Hide AdWhat is the next priority in terms of transfer business and which areas would you like to see Sunderland strengthen?
As I will go on to shortly, I think there’s a chance Sunderland could sign another attacking midfielder but I think the clear priority is more cover and competition up front.
With Will Harris moving on loan to Barrow, Benji Kimpioka is the only cover for Ross Stewart.
Stewart’s form is outstanding and his place in the XI not in question, but we saw the value of having the option to pair someone with him when Nathan Broadhead excelled.
And there is the clear need to have someone capable of stepping in should COVID or injury hit.
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Hide AdThat’s the one position where you think Sunderland simply have to do business.
Beyond that?
They will need to replace Frederik Alves should he return to West Ham United, as expected. Arbenit Xhemajli is back in the fold but Sunderland will want to be patient with him after such a serious injury.
You could also make a strong case that with Luke O’Nien out for a prolonged period, more cover in central midfield would be welcome even if Corry Evans has looked excellent in the last couple of games.
Do you think they will sign Patrick Roberts this window?
It’s definitely a possibility.
He is a player they’ve monitored closely as it’s widely expected that his loan at Ligue 1 side Troyes will be brought to an early conclusion at some stage in the month.
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Hide AdIt’s a position in which they are likely to recruit, as Aiden McGeady is probably still a month away from returning to fitness and will then need a little longer to get fully up to speed.
If, as is the plan right now, Jack Diamond returns to Harrogate Town for the final few months of the season, then another option makes sense.
Roberts clearly would be a very high-calibre addition at this level, so you’d expect Sunderland to be in the mix.
The 24-year-old has six months left on his current deal, so there is potentially a scenario in which Manchester City allow him to leave on a permanent basis. That is obviously attractive to the Black Cats as it would preserve one of the five matchday loan slots for another position on the pitch.
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Hide AdThe other side of that coin is that it then becomes an ambitious deal for a player who cost an eight-figure sum in 2015.
There’ll be plenty of competition, but Sunderland’s position in the table and current playing style definitely makes them an attractive destination for a player of that technical quality looking to kick on.
We’ll see how it progresses.
Whether it be Roberts or someone else, I’d be surprised if Sunderland didn't do some business in that area.
What did you make of the decision to recall the three loanees and do you think Anthony Patterson is a future Sunderland No1?
It was the right decision to play with that group of players, no doubt.
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Hide AdIn committing to play early Sunderland avoided uncertainty for their travelling fans who were already facing a challenging trip with the early kick off, and they also underlined their trust in their young players.
I thought both Anthony Patterson and Jack Diamond both did well, to their credit.
Patterson is 100% a future number one.
In fact, there has been plenty of debate behind the scenes at Sunderland because the feeling is that he isn’t all that far off right now, but the (I think probably just about right) decision has been made to get him senior experience.
Certainly his shot-stopping and distribution is already good enough, and with a bit more exposure to the more physical side of the game I think he could make significant strides very rapidly.
What do you expect to happen next with Will Grigg and Rotherham United?
I’d expect him to complete the season there.
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