Sunderland have been linked with Grimsby Town defender Anthony Glennon in recent months and the young defender could be the next Luke O’Nien in Tony Mowbray’s side.
It was reported in November by Football Insider that Sunderland, along with Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City, were all keen on signing the former Burnley man in the January transfer window.
The Black Cats have been making ‘regular checks’ on the ex-Liverpool academy graduate ahead of the mid-season transfer window and could look to make an early swoop for his signature as he continues to impress for the Mariners in League Two.
Glennon is ranked as the second-best performer for Grimsby in the fourth tier so far this campaign after averaging a strong 6.98 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
For context, only Ross Stewart and Jack Clarke have averaged higher from Sunderland’s squad this season, which emphasises just how impressive Glennon has been.
Should Sunderland sign Glennon?
The 23-year-old mainly operates as a left-back in Paul Hurst’s side but has shown his attacking qualities on a regular basis this term, as no player in Grimsby’s squad has averaged more crosses or key passes per game.
Burnley under-23 boss Steve Stone was full of praise for Glennon in 2019 as he impressed in a number of positions for the Clarets’ youth team. He said:
“He is exceptional wherever he plays. He is exceptional in terms of how he drives and leads this team because he is captain of this team now.
“He drives it from centre half, he is not a big centre half and he has been unbelievable alongside Bobby Thomas and I keep saying to people how brilliant he has been.
“It is the same name that comes out and I think everyone else says the same thing.
“Then to push him to left back and be as good as he was again after not playing there for months is a testament to what he is about.”
Versatility is a hugely valuable asset for a player to have in modern football, as O’Nien has shown during his time at the Stadium of Light, as he has featured as a defensive midfielder, centre-back and right-back on a regular basis.
Therefore, if Glennon does complete a move to the Black Cats in January, there seems no reason why the versatile defender can’t emulate the 28-year-old at Sunderland and become another Mackems’ fan favourite.
