Sunderland have just added former Brighton and Hull City striker Aaron Connolly to their ranks.
Sunderland have signed Aaron Connolly on a free transfer, adding another much-needed striker to their attacking department.
Strikers remain quite thin on the ground at the Stadium of Light despite the additions of Wilson Isidor and Ahmed Abdullahi during the summer, with Abdullahi currently injured.
Eliezer Mayenda has led the line for Sunderland so far. The Spaniard scored twice in the 4-0 win vs Sheffield Wednesday last month but hasn’t scored since.
Connolly arrives with prior Championship experience and a decent, recent record in the second tier, having scored eight goals in 24 league appearances for Hull last time round, despite making just 13 starts.
Sunderland fans are backed to love Connolly for his feisty nature on the pitch and his natural finishing ability.
But his injury record is a cause for concern, and it may mean that he doesn’t feature for a while yet.
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Regis Le Bris reveals Aaron Connolly timeline at Sunderland
Connolly spent a lot of last season on the sidelines, and with multiple injuries too. He’s also not played since last season and hasn’t trained with a first-team until his arrival at Sunderland this week.
Speaking to the press on Thursday ahead of the Championship clash vs Watford this weekend, Regis Le Bris was asked when fans might get a first glimpse of Connolly in red and white.
The Frenchman said: “It’s difficult to say exactly. He’s in good condition, which was very important for us.”
Le Bris added: “He’ll need time. But because he’s now in a good condition, I’m confident we’ll see him maybe after the next international break.”
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Patience needed with Aaron Connolly at Sunderland
The Connolly signing is certainly a very interesting one for Sunderland, with a lot of factors to dissect.
He’s proved himself to be a good goal-scorer in the past. But he’s admitted himself that he’s had issues off the field, and then there’s also his injury record which is alarming.
It’ll be especially worrying for Sunderland who often seem to have their share of injuries, though the fact that he’s signed shows that Sunderland believe he can have an impact this season.
On a one-year deal, and likely not to feature until late next month, the 24-year-old will have to hit the ground running if he’s to secure his future on Wearside beyond 2025.