Sunderland are yet to make their first signing of the January transfer window. But new names are certainly needed.
There’s a case for Sunderland to bolster in almost every position this month.
But in what now feels like a common theme for the Black Cats, striker additions remains the priority, though we’re yet to see any really strong links to a potential striker signing this month.
Expect Michael Beale and the club’s recruitment team to be working hard on striker signings. Though another position that seems to be in desperate need of fresh blood is central midfield.
It’s been suggested that a striker and a new central midfielder are the main areas that need bolstering this month, and Beale could yet find the perfect solution to one of those positions at his former club, with a player he knows very well indeed.
Aston Villa could send Tim Iroegbunam out on loan this month
Aston Villa’s young midfielder Tim Iroegbunam has been making headlines this month.
The 20-year-old former West Brom talent has featured just once in the Premier League this season and Darren Witcoop suggested that Villa want to sell him; though it’s since been claimed that the club would rather loan him out.
Iroegbunam was signed by Beale at QPR ahead of last season. The versatile midfielder, who can operate as a more defensive-minded midfielder or an attacking one, featured 32 times in the Championship for the R’s, scoring twice across the season.
He was linked with another loan move ahead of this season but Villa chose to keep him around the first-team.
Given his lack of game time though, a loan exit looks like a real possibility this month.
Beale can use Villa connections to bring Iroegbunam to Sunderland
Last season, Beale said that Iroegbunam has a ‘big future’ ahead of him, and that remains the case, but right now he’s not really making any progress; former Villa boss Steven Gerrard also described Iroegbunam as a ‘terrific’ player.
He’s in the doldrums at Villa Park and it’s said that if Unai Emery can bring in a new central midfielder this month then they might consider loaning out Iroegbunam.
And with Sunderland recently seeing names like Alex Pritchard linked with a move away, a new central midfielder could become even more of a priority at the Stadium of Light; and after seeing how well Iroegbunam did at QPR under Beale, Sunderland might well be Villa’s preferred destination for the Englishman.
He’s a very powerful and versatile midfielder. His ability to play in front of the defence or behind the striker would give Beale a very useful option, with the central midfield having looked very weak and rigid in recent weeks.
Depending on what Villa do in the transfer market this month, they might look into loaning out Iroegbunam late in the window, and Sunderland could make a quality signing by bringing him in.