A striker who Sunderland wanted to sign in January is now nearing a Golden Boot award in the English Football League.
Sunderland have been through several transfer windows needing strikers, but always failing to bring one in.
Or at least a decent one, that is.
Last summer, Sunderland signed a few in Mason Burstow, Luis Hemir, and Nazariy Rusyn, but the trio have scored just three goals between them in the Championship this season.
And it wouldn’t be all that surprising if none of them are in the Sunderland first-team next season; Burstow’s loan from Chelsea will expire, Hemir may well be loaned out, and there’s rumours online that Rusyn wants to leave Sunderland.
Either way, Kristjaan Speakman simply has to find Sunderland a prolific striker in the summer.
Sunderland miss out on striker signings in January
Since January, it’s been revealed that Sunderland submitted two bids for strikers.
Of course, neither of them signed, and neither of them were officially named, though it’s highly likely that one was Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore who eventually signed for Ipswich Town on loan.
Another name linked was Notts County striker Macaulay Langstaff.
The 27-year-old has turned heads in League Two this season and was the subject of quite widespread transfer interest in January, with Sunderland one of the teams linked.
But the Black Cats reportedly cooled their interest in Langstaff, who would’ve cost Sunderland £1.5million.
Since the end of January, Langstaff has scored eight goals for Notts County, taking his season tally to 28 in League Two.
Langstaff is the league’s top scorer by four goals and now looks nailed on to win the Golden Boot award this season.
Could Sunderland return to Macaulay Langstaff in the summer
Langstaff is under contract at Notts County until 2027.
But his side are set for a mid-table finish in League Two and so it looks like County could find it difficult to keep hold of Langstaff, who has 33 goal contributions in League Two this season.
At 27 years old, he’s not really the type of striker Sunderland and Speakman typically want to be signing; though their January interest would suggest otherwise.
And there’s a growing expectation that, whilst Sunderland will still prioritise youth recruitment and development, the club will admit some errors in their ways, and not shun players like Langstaff who are slightly older.
Adding that kind of experience and proven quality will give the squad some much-needed balance in the summer.
But there’ll of course be question marks over Langstaff’s ability to cut it in the Championship, having primarily played non-league football in his career.
Expect there to be plenty of interest in Langstaff this summer, be it from Sunderland or a host of other Football League sides.