Sunderland could now cash in on a certain defender in the January transfer window, just two years after he signed for the club.
Sunderland are already well involved in transfer headlines ahead of the January window opening up in a few weeks, with plenty of rumours staring to emerge.
However, most rumours regarding Sunderland right now appear to be linking players with moves away from the Stadium of Light, rather than to it.
Jobe Bellingham is heavily linked with a Sunderland exit and he could leave Wearside for one of Europe’s biggest teams, with both Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund now linked.
Elsewhere, it looks as though Regis Le Bris and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman are ready to clear the decks in the first-team squad, and move in some of the deadwood.
It’s long been speculated that the likes of Abdoullah Ba and Nazariy Rusyn could be moved on in January.
Meanwhile, fellow outcast Adil Aouchiche could be in line for more Sunderland chances in the build up to January, after an impressive cameo against Bristol City on Tuesday night.
Joe Anderson now free to leave Sunderland in January
Anderson, now 23, joined Sunderland from Everton’s youth academy in January 2023, looking like another exciting signing for the Black Cats at the time.
The centre-back went on to play four times in the second half of the 2022/23 Championship season but he hasn’t featured in the league since.
Anderson’s only first-team appearance this season was in Sunderland’s Carabao Cup defeat against Preston, with Anderson playing in an unfamiliar left-back role.
He certainly struggled that night. Sunderland Echo gave him a 4/10 rating and Anderson hasn’t played for the first-team since.
Now, Sunderland Echo report that Anderson is one of several first-team players up for sale ahead of the January transfer window.
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The other Sunderland players up for sale in the January transfer window
The same report that states Anderson is free to leave Sunderland also states that Ba, Rusyn, Aouchiche, and Jewison Bennette are also free to leave.
The Sunderland first-team squad then could undergo quite the transformation in January, with Speakman unlikely to let so many go without bringing a few new names in.
For Anderson at 23 years old, he really needs to be playing somewhere regularly, with a move down the Football League likely after he previously spent time on loan with Shrewsbury Town from Sunderland.
As for the others, moves abroad may be preferred, depending on what offers they have here in England.