Sunderland have taken a look at an impressive Celtic youngster ahead of the January transfer window.
January is just around the corner. For Sunderland, the winter window provides a vital refuelling point and it might not come soon enough for the Black Cats, who are winless in five.
On Tuesday night, Sunderland drew 0-0 against West Brom in a frustrating night at the Stadium of Light, with Regis Le Bris’ side having dropped down to 4th place in the Championship table.
Up next for the Black Cats is a trip to 2nd place Sheffield United on Friday night. But for Le Bris and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, there’ll be a growing focus on the upcoming January transfer window.
In the build up to the New Year, Le Bris says Sunderland might be quiet in January as he looks to have several players back from injury in the New Year.
But there’s now a new name on the club’s transfer radar: Celtic striker Daniel Cummings.
Sunderland taking a look at Celtic hotshot Daniel Cummings
Cummings, 18, has been in prolific form for Celtic’s U19s in the UEFA Youth League this season, with five goals in five games so far.
The Scotland U19s striker is yet to make his first-team debut for Celtic but is now attracting widespread transfer interest in the build up to January.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed on X that Sunderland, Championship rivals Burnley, and Premier League trio Fulham, Ipswich Town, and Wolves all ‘watched’ Cummings in action on Wednesday night.
Daniel Cummings is ‘one of Europe’s deadliest young strikers’ right now
Cummings is certainly turning heads this season, with one report from The Scottish Sun describing him as ‘one of Europe’s deadliest young strikers’.
Sunderland under Speakman have a very good habit of picking up these kind of impressive youngsters, and someone like Cummings who’s clearly talented could be one for the first-team, rather than the youth team.
It’s surprising to see that Celtic are yet to hand him his first-team debut. But this emerging transfer interest could prompt manager Brendan Rodgers to promote Cummings, and in turn potentially bump up his transfer value ahead of January.
That could be bad news for the Black Cats who won’t be able to compete with the likes of Fulham, Ipswich, Wolves, even Burnley in a bidding war.
But the Black Cats have an upper-hand in that they’re such a good place for youngsters to come and play regular football, and improve as players.