Reflections on Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
What business will Sunderland look to conduct during the January transfer window?
Recruitment has arguably been the central pillar of Sunderland’s stellar start to their long-awaited Premier League return.
The Black Cats went big during the summer transfer window, bringing in 14 new players and spending in excess of £150 million as they looked to build a squad capable of retaining its place in the top flight this term.
To that end, you would have to say that it has been a case of “so far, so good”. Regis Le Bris’ men are currently fourth in the table, seven points behind league leaders Arsenal, but perhaps more pertinently, nine points clear of the bottom three. And with their recent purple patch, Sunderland may also have undergone something of a shift in aspirations for the remainder of the season.
Speaking to Sky Sports last week, owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus hinted that he is now eyeing a top-half finish, and could look to enact more investment in January to help the Black Cats get there. He said: “I think the stats showed to us that unless you do something extraordinary you're likely going to go back to the Championship. For us, we didn't really set ourselves a budget in terms of the money we want to spend - we had an ambition to try and bring in the players we want and fortunately a lot of the deals we wanted to do we were able to conclude them, and as a result of that the spend in the end was big, but most importantly we got the players that we wanted.
“I would say definitely a little bit [that the great start could affect Sunderland’s approach in January] because obviously if we're in the bottom three by Christmas or we're in the top six by Christmas that changes the ambition a little bit. We're currently preparing for all scenarios but we've been doing that since the summer, so hopefully we'll be going into the January window with a top ten finish in mind and we will prepare and execute the transfer window to give us the best chance.”
But if Sunderland are to spend in January, which areas of the pitch will they target? We’ve taken a closer look at some of the potential options below...
Central midfield
Sunderland’s new look midfield cohort of Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, and, prior to his injury, Habib Diarra, have been largely exemplary so far this term, but beyond that trio, do the Black Cats have the strength in depth to maintain their levels if injuries hit and when the dreaded AFCON finally rolls around? Dan Neil and Chris Rigg are options, and both will feel they are deserving of their chance to prove themselves, while Lustharel Geertruida can also deputise in the engine room, but could another driving midfield presence, a la Diarra, or another tireless busybody in the mould of Sadiki, appeal to recruitment chiefs on Wearside?
Right Wing
Sunderland seem to be replete with options out on the left - Enzo Le Fée, Simon Adingra, the returning Romaine Mundle, Chemsdine Talbi - but look considerably lighter on the opposite flank. Bertrand Traore has improved in recent weeks, Talbi did start the season there - although he does seem to prefer a spot on the left - and Eliezer Mayenda can fill in if required, but if Sunderland are to bolster their forward line, this feels like the most natural position for them to prioritise.
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
Striker
Given how well Wilson Isidor has started the season, as well as Brian Brobbey increasingly coming to the fore in recent weeks, perhaps Sunderland will feel that they have enough options at the point of attack to negate the need for another centre forward acquisition. That being said, Le Bris was quite coy when asked about a potential deal to bring ex-loanee Marc Guiu back to Wearside, and at the end of the day, you can never have too many goals in a team. Could be one to keep an eye on.
Continue Reading