The January transfer window is just around the corner, and Sunderland sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman, has given a hint as to how the Black Cats will do business next month.
Sunderland have made a decent start to the Championship campaign, even if their current form has seen them slip away from the title race slightly.
Regis Le Bris has got his young team playing exciting football, but they have found themselves frustrated of late, and improvements need to be made.
While Le Bris has been clear about his intentions to develop the club’s young players as a priority, there is still scope for some movement in January to get Sunderland’s promotion push back on track.
Kristjaan Speakman wants to move quickly in January
Speaking on the club’s official Twitter/X account, Sunderland chief Kristjaan Speakman was very candid about how the club intend to do business next month, and explained how much work has already gone in to making that possible.
He said: “First of all, it’s about assessing the squad. I think we’re coming from a position of strength. I think the group’s in a really good place. We’ve got loads of preparation going on.
“We’ve just got to be really diligent in the moment, able to react and action things really quickly within the month of January. We go into it in a really good spot and I’m really optimistic about what we can achieve.”
By the sounds of it, Speakman doesn’t believe the club needs to change too much, but has to be ready to jump on any opportunity that may present itself in the New Year.
Sunderland only need to add two players to get back on track
There is a really good balance in the Sunderland squad at the moment, with so much youth and dynamism throughout Le Bris’ roster, while the likes of Chris Mepham and Patrick Roberts bring much-needed experience.
Sunderland also have a fair amount of squad depth, but if anything, they could do with just adding one or two more players in January, probably with a bit more experience; players that can bring an understanding of how to be resilient and grind out results at this level.
| Team | Deficits | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Millwall | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Swansea City | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Stoke City | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 |
| Derby County | 11 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Preston North End | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 |
If there is one thing holding the Black Cats back, it’s the fact that Sunderland are joint-worst in the Championship in one key area, Regis Le Bris must find a solution, which is obviously a mentality issues rather than a skill issue.
Sunderland ideally need a battling midfielder who can come in and take games by the scruff of the neck, and a striker who has a history of scoring goals in the Championship, someone you can rely on to change a game from the bench.
Whether Speakman and his team can find those players or not, is another matter.