Sunderland are going steady in their quest for a top six finish this season. But whether they secure promotion or not, the summer ahead promises to be a hectic one.
Kristjaan Speakman may have his work cut out at Sunderland this summer. He’ll have a mammoth task either way, whether the Black Cats are promoted or whether they remain in the Championship.
Promotion will require the inevitable bolstering in the transfer window. Remaining a Championship side will see a handful of player inevitably leave, and they’ll need replacing.
But Speakman already will already have his ear to the ground ahead of the summer transfer window, with several names linked in January and likely to be linked again once the summer transfer window opens for business in June.
The Sunderland sporting director often keeps players on his transfer radar for more than one window. Likewise, he often finds himself searching for strikers, and that’ll again be the case in the summer.
Strikers remain thin on the ground at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats also have also seen the likes of Leeds United take an interest in Wilson Isidor, alarmingly.
Paul Heckingbottom speaks out on Emil Riis’ Preston future after Sunderland links
One striker linked with Sunderland in January was Emil Riis. It was revealed that Riis was a target for Sunderland with the Danish striker out of contract in the summer. At the start of February, Preston director Peter Ridsdale revealed there was a player who ‘will undoubtedly leave’ Deepdale in the summer after refusing to consider talks over a new deal.
Fans have speculated that player to be Riis, although there’s no confirmation of said player being the 26-year-old forward. Now, Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom, who was linked with Sunderland during the summer, has spoken out on Riis’ future.
He tells Lancashire Evening Post: “We’ve not sat down and offered him one. I speak to Emil all the time about his situation and his agent. I think I’ve said before, I’m relaxed about it. I think Emil is as well.
“He wants to play as high as he can and see what his options are in the summer. I’ve got absolutely no problem with that, no problem with that. Our job is to continue as if he’s not here and keep looking for replacements.”
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Emil Riis’ goals record for Preston North End
Riis may not be the glamorous striker link that Sunderland fans want to see. But he’s a steady name at Championship level and someone who would definitely bolster Regis Le Bris’ attacking department, which remains very light on numbers.
So far this season, Riis has scored nine goals in 32 Championship games which is only three goals less than Isidor has scored, doing so in a Preston side that has been rather lacklustre throughout the campaign.
In 159 total Championship games for the Lilywhites, Riis has 38 goals and 11 assists. His best season for goals was the 2021/22 season in which he netted 16 times in 44 Championship games, also claiming five assists.
With his future still very much up in the air, expect Sunderland and likely many other clubs to keeping tabs on the situation.