Deadline day turned into a rather disappointing one for Sunderland, who’ve previously been very productive on the final day of the transfer window.
In the end, Sunderland signed Jayden Danns on loan from Liverpool. It took their January transfer window tally to three signings, but right now, two of them are injured.
Danns has a back injury and his return date is unknown. Since then, Enzo Le Fee has picked up a hamstring injury in devastating news for Sunderland, whist Wilson Isidor remains fit and firing, for the time being at least.
With Le Fee and Danns currently set to return to their parent clubs in the summer, Kristjaan Speakman will once again have work to do in the summer transfer window; especially so if Sunderland miss out on promotion and a number of their star players are picked up.
Wingers could be a main focus with Le Fee leaving and Brighton set to make a move for Tommy Watson, also with Patrick Roberts having been overall quite poor this season. One such candidate to come in could be Marcus Edwards.
Marcus Edwards was open to Sunderland move in January
Towards the end of the January window, Sunderland were linked with an ambitious but very exciting loan move for former Spurs man Edwards at Sporting CP. But on deadline day, Edwards joined Burnley on loan where he’s since scored two goals in four outings.
The Clarets reportedly paid an £800,000 loan fee for the 26-year-old, with a £10million obligation to buy in the event of promotion. But speaking on Burnley’s official YouTube channel, the club’s Head of Recruitment George Foster-Vigors has revealed that Edwards was willing to join one of Leeds United, Burnley, or Sunderland in January.
As part of a documentary filmed during the January window, Foster-Vigors said: “The main target that we’re all trying to push for in this window is Marcus Edwards on loan from Sporting. He has got options [at the] bottom of the Premier League but he kind of doesn’t want to go to a dogfighting relegation team.
“He wants to come and try be a part of something positive. He would consider Leeds, Sunderland or us, that are challenging for promotion.”
Sunderland ready to make summer move for Marcus Edwards
Edwards has certainly proved his Championship quality since joining Burnley. And it appears as though Speakman has taken notice, too.
Recent reports have revealed that Sunderland are keeping tabs on Edwards after missing out on the Englishman in January, with a view to seeing if a deal could be done during the summer transfer window.
With Burnley having the obligation to buy, though, it could eventually be Sunderland who shoot themselves in the foot if they were to miss out on promotion to Burney in the play-offs.
Sunderland remain in 4th place of the Championship table compared to Burnley in 3rd, with six points between the two. Burnley are two points behind Sheffield United in 2nd.