One journalist has slammed one transfer decision by Sunderland and Kristjaan Speakman.
With the January transfer window drawing closer to its dying embers, the Black Cats will be hoping to finalise any deals, both for incomings and departures from the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland’s business primarily involves looking to transform their front three, with strikers continuing to be linked to a move to Wearside, with a move for Willem Geubbels being the most recent.
As well as incomings, the Black Cats are also looking to free up space in the final third, and one outgoing that looked likely at one stage was Adil Aouchiche moving to fellow Championship side Portsmouth on loan for the remainder of the 2024/25 Championship campaign.
The move now looks to have hit a stumbling block due to Aouchiche not having enough GBE points to complete the move, but nonetheless, one journalist looks to have given his thoughts on how the player has been handled.
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Sunderland slammed for treatment of Adil Aouchiche amid future uncertainty
The Black Cats were set to sanction a move for Aouchiche after only notching eight games this season, until it hit a snag, despite the player having completed his medical ahead of a move to Portsmouth.
It seems fairly abrupt that Speakman decided for Aouchiche to move on from Wearside, and it is summed up brilliantly by Michael Graham, via X, who said: “No one will convince me that Adil Aouchiche ever received a fair chance at Sunderland.”
Sunderland are currently having to use new signing Enzo Le Fee in the vacant left-wing slot, despite his favoured position being the centre-of-the-park.
Adil Aouchiche deserves more opportunities this season
It took until December for Aouchiche to be handed a concrete opportunity to prove his worth under Regis Le Bris, and there is no denying to suggest that he took that moment, with a notably top showing at Stoke City.
Due to the lack of options on the left-flank as well, the potential move was puzzling, especially after it has been made clear that Le Bris isn’t getting the best out of Le Fee when used out wide.
Unless Sunderland have an imminent arrival in the wings to replace Aouchiche, it was a strange move by Speakman, and it certainly shows, because of the resounding reaction from fans, that he wasn’t given a fair crack to tie down his own spot in the side.