An update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans to add another centre-forward to their squad before the end of the summer transfer window…
What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?
According to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats are ‘pursuing’ a swoop to sign Jay Stansfield from Premier League side Fulham.
The report claims that Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman are eyeing up a loan deal for the number nine to bolster their forward options.
Fellow Championship teams Queens Park Rangers and Millwall have also been named as interested suitors, which means that the club are facing stiff competition to secure the talented youngster’s signature.
How good is Jay Stansfield?
Mowbray could land the club’s next Ellis Simms by securing a deal for the 20-year-old striker as he could make the step up to Championship football after an impressive spell in League One.
Stansfield went on loan to Exeter in the third tier last term and caught the eye with nine goals and seven assists in 28 starts, which means that he averaged a goal contribution every 1.75 starts.
Simms enjoyed an excellent time on loan at Blackpool in League One prior to his move to Sunderland as he scored ten goals and assisted one in 19 starts – an average of one every 1.73 starts.
After a stint at Hearts in Scotland, the then-Everton finisher moved to the Stadium of Light and impressed last season with seven goals and two assists in 14 Championship starts before being recalled in January.
Stansfield could follow in his footsteps by taking his game to the next level in a move to Wearside after an excellent level of production in League One.
Ross Stewart (ten) is the only current Sunderland player who scored more than nine league goals and only Jack Clarke (12) managed more than seven assists, which shows how impressive the youngster’s displays were last term.
Fulham boss Marco Silva claimed that the 6 foot 1 whiz became stronger and developed as a player during his spell at Exeter, which suggests that he could now be ready to take the next leap in his development.
The 20-year-old marksman’s form for the Cottagers at youth level suggests that there is a prolific centre-forward to be unearthed there as he racked up a staggering 38 goals and seven assists in 49 U21 and U18 matches combined.
Therefore, the England U20 international has the potential to be a fantastic scorer for Sunderland if he is able to push on and improve upon his performances for Exeter. He now has experience of playing first-team football week-in-week-out and could use that to thrive for the Black Cats.
Stansfield, whose runs were hailed as “powerful” by journalist Josh Bunting, is yet to prove himself at Championship level but neither had Simms when he arrived on Wearside on loan from a Premier League side, which is why he could be the next version of the now-Coventry ace.
It would be a gamble from Mowbray but one that has the potential to result in a huge pay-off for Sunderland if the exciting talent is able to hit top form and make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch.
