Michael Beale has shared which position Sunderland will look to strengthen after they have signed a striker.
Sunderland are over halfway through the January transfer window and are yet to make their first signing, despite making their intention to sign a new No.9 very clear.
The Black Cats have been heavily linked with a move for Bournemouth’s Kieffer Moore after holding preliminary talks with him last week, while Sam Gallagher and Jay Stansfield have also been mentioned as potential targets.
Michael Beale’s side were also handed some bad news in recent days, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that former loanee Amad Diallo wouldn’t be leaving Manchester United this month.
The Sunderland head coach has also confirmed that the club are also in search of a new left-back and have briefly been linked with Leicester’s Luke Thomas, but Beale has now spoken of a further position that they wish to bolster.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, the former Rangers boss admitted that the Championship club are also looking to bring in a new midfielder.
Corry Evans has been out of action for a year now, while Jay Matete’s injury that kept him out of the first half of the campaign left the Black Cats with very few options in central midfield.
With Jobe Bellingham often playing further forward, Sunderland were given little option but to play Pierre Ekwah and Dan Neil – which proved to be a nightmare when Ekwah got injured and Neil was suspended.
However, despite little talk of a new midfielder so far this month, Beale has now admitted that it is a position they are looking at.
“Look the three that we’ve got are very versatile, they’re all can play as an eight that runs on and that would probably be Jobe’s best position as well,” Beale said.
“The three of them are finding a way to perform and do very well, when you look at where we are in the league and some of the teams that we have beaten.
“We can point to some disappointing days so far this season but there have been really positive days as well. Do I think they could do with a dedicated number six in behind them, would it help their skillset? Yeah. But at this moment in time, you’re seeing Dan and Pierre adapt their game and that is for sure going to help them in the long run as well. Just a little bit of grey hair in terms of Corry would help wouldn’t it, just that experience and talking on the pitch.
“Again, we can find a solution within the building but the nature of it is that when the window is open, we’ll look.”
Who could Sunderland sign in midfield?
Sunderland have been linked to a reunion with Yann M’Vila this week, with reports claiming they are in talks to re-sign the 33-year-old free agent.
It would be an excellent signing for the Wearsiders, but I can’t help but feel like Michael Beale’s comments are preparing to reach February without a new midfielder.
The 43-year-old is trying to claim that we can make do with what we have got, when that really isn’t the case.
Pierre Ekwah was been underperforming for months now, but we simply can’t afford to drop him because we don’t have the strength in depth to do so.
A player like M’Vila will instantly improve our chances of promotion, so if Kristjaan Speakman wants to do one thing to get fans back on his side, then snap up the Frenchman please!