The list of Sunderland’s striker targets this summer has been endless.
The Black Cats have already been linked with a huge number of forwards this week, with their pursuits of Alexandre Mendy and Roko Simic coming to an abrupt end.
While they appear to have now moved onto Lyon’s Gift Orban and Chelsea’s David Datro Fofana, they were handed a glimmer of hope in their pursuit of Tom Cannon when it was claimed he was available on loan.
Sunderland had already bid £5m for the Leicester City youngster, but huge interest elsewhere, and high demands from the Foxes, made a permanent deal unlikely.
Tom Cannon set for Championship loan
It was unclear whether the Wearside outfit had reignited their interest due to a loan move being possible, but they now look set to miss out on him anyway.
According to TEAMtalk, Stoke City are set to win the race to sign Cannon on a season-long loan.
The Potters beat the likes of Sunderland, Sheffield United and West Brom for his signature.
The report claims Stoke can offer Cannon regular football, while proximity to the 21-year-old’s family in the North West is likely to have worked in their favour.
It’s not the end of the world for Sunderland
The Black Cats would have done very well to snap up the ‘outstanding‘ forward, but the amount of interest in him was always going to make it tough.
Like Jay Stansfield last summer, if location is a key part of his decision then they couldn’t do anything about it.
Sunderland already seem to have a number of alternative targets though, with Orban one that seems hugely ambitious but also extremely exciting.
The amount of names that have been thrown around recently suggests the club will surely get at least one done before tonight’s deadline, but there’s no doubt Wearside is full of nerves today.
Supporters do seem to have forgotten that Wilson Isidor has already joined the club though, having scored 23 goals in 68 appearances as a No.9.
Sunderland aren’t in as bad as a position as they have been, but another striker through the door would round off a pretty impressive window.