Sunderland under Kristjaan Speakman are never too far away from an exciting player link in the transfer market. Likewise, there’s often some surprise names linked too, with another emerging on Thursday night.
So far in this January transfer window, Sunderland have signed just the one player. But it’s arguably the club’s most exciting and impressive signing of the Kyril Louis-Dreyfus era so far.
Enzo Le Fee has joined on loan from Roma. The Frenchman has impressed in his first two games, looking like a cut above the rest. Interestingly, Sunderland are paying Le Fee’s Roma wages which shows how ambitious Louis-Dreyfus is right now.
He’s ready to back Regis Le Bris in this promotion push. Right now, Sunderland sit in 4th place of the Championship table after a 1-0 win over Derby County in midweek, with the Black Cats five points behind leaders Leeds United.
For Kristjaan Speakman, a new striker signing looks like the priority in the final weeks of the transfer window. Several have been linked and now another new name has been added to the club’s wishlist in Chuba Akpom.
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Sunderland pushing to sign Ajax striker Chuba Akpom
Sunderland fans will certainly have heard of Akpom; he won the Championship Golden Boot in 2022/23 with Middlesbrough after scoring a sensational 28 goals. He was also the Championship Player of the Season and the Championship Player’s Player of the Season that year.
The former Arsenal, 29, man left for Ajax in 2023. He’s since scored 23 in 67 for the Dutch giants but it seems like he faces an uncertain final two weeks of the winter transfer window with reports that Sunderland and more are interested.
Foot Mercato report that Sunderland, along with French duo Lille and Will Still’s RC Lens are pushing to sign Akpom before the February 3rd deadline. It’s unclear if it’d be a loan deal or a permanent one.
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Every striker linked with Sunderland ahead of deadline day
After Aaron Connolly’s move to Millwall, Le Bris has just Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda up top, so the need for a new striker at the Stadium of Light has become very pressing.
But Speakman is casting his net out with Akpom now linked, along with the likes of Matija Frigan and Emil Riis. The pair have been linked after Sunderland missed out on Tom Cannon and Ben Brereton Diaz, who’ve both joined promotion rivals Sheffield United.
The Black Cats return to Championship action with a home game against strugglers Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon.