Sunderland could be about to spend £13million on Tom Cannon, which would be half-a-million shy of the club’s transfer record: £13.6million on Didier Ndong in 2016. And the Black Cats could do so while sitting in 4th place in the Championship.
It certainly seems like Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has got the bit between his teeth. The Sunderland co-owner is forking out £69,000-a-week on Enzo Le Fee, who could cost him a further £20million in the summer, with Tom Cannon now a real target.
Sunderland are ready to spend £13million on Cannon who’s also wanted by Sheffield United, and who are also ready to spend £13million. But the Black Cats face competition from former manager David Moyes who wants to bring Cannon back to Everton, per reports, though that move has been played down heavily.
Meanwhile, there’s other names on the Black Cats’ January transfer radar including the likes of Aston Villa’s Louie Barry and Chelsea’s Harvey Vale. But Kristjaan Speakman has identified a possible alternative for Cannon, and one that would be much cheaper too.
Matija Frigan would be open to Sunderland move, but it’ll cost
Matija Frigan is a new name on the Black Cats’ transfer radar. It was recently claimed that Sunderland are targeting Frigan at Westerlo, where he’s so far scored six goals in 20 Belgian top flight games in this 2024/25 season.
Since, an emerging report from Belgian outlet Voetbal Nieuws has discussed Sunderland’s interest in Frigan, stating that the 21-year-old ‘will be happy with such a move’. The same report then says Sunderland will have ‘come up with millions of euros’ for Frigan who remains under contract until 2028.
Voetbal Nieuws say that Westerlo ‘is known as a difficult negotiator’ and that the club will ‘at least want to recover the invested amount and perhaps exceed it’. Westerlo paid €5.5million (£4.6million) for Frigan in 2023.
- READ MORE: What Aston Villa are now thinking of doing with Louie Barry amid Sunderland transfer interest
What could happen on the Tom Cannon front on Thursday?
Any Sunderland move for Frigan seems totally dependent on what happens regarding a move for Cannon, who right now looks like Speakman’s no.1 striker target, and no.1 overall target too.
A lot has happened in the last 48 hours or so. Cannon is now back at Leicester City so expect the Foxes to be weighing up whatever offers they have, with Sunderland and Sheffield United surely having made their case to the player.
But also expect other offers to be on the table, or to soon to arrive, with Cannon hot property following his impressive loan stint at Stoke City.
Thursday will undoubtedly see some more news come to light on the Cannon situation. But what that news will be is anyone’s guess.