Sunderland were dealt a blow in their pursuit of a new centre-forward option this week as one of their reported transfer targets moved to another Championship club.
What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?
The Sunderland Echo had claimed that the Black Cats held talks with Premier League outfit Fulham over a possible loan deal for 20-year-old marksman Jay Stansfield, who spent last season on loan at Exeter.
However, Tony Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman were unable to get a deal over the line for the talented youngster as Birmingham City officially announced his arrival on loan on Thursday.
The club could quickly get over that disappointment, though, as they are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Ukrainian striker Nazariy Rusyn from Zorya Lugansk, who is said to be set to put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light.
How good is Nazariy Rusyn?
Mowbray could be on the verge of securing a dream alternative to Stansfield by bringing the 24-year-old marksman to Wearside after his impressive performances throughout the 2022/23 campaign.
Rusyn enjoyed a terrific season with Zorya and proved himself to be capable of scoring and assisting goals from a number nine position, which could make him a fantastic addition to the squad for Sunderland.
The exciting whiz, who is reportedly valued at £2.5m by the Black Cats, racked up 13 goals and six assists in 30 Premier Liga outings last term, which means that he was directly involved in a goal every 1.88 matches on average.
Stansfield, on the other hand, produced nine goals and seven assists in 38 League One games for Exeter last season, which is an average of one goal contribution every 2.36 clashes.
These statistics show that Rusyn provided more quality at the top end of the pitch for his respective club due to his ability to score and assist goals more frequently than the 20-year-old talent.
Neither player is a proven Championship performer and this means that there would have been a risk, in terms of their adaptation to playing at this level.
Still, the Ukraine U21 international’s record suggests that the potential is there for him to be an excellent player for Mowbray if he can adapt to life in England.
Rusyn, who has scored one goal in two league games this season, could be an outstanding performer for the English head coach if he can replicate his Zorya performances for Sunderland.
Last term, no current Black Cats player managed more than ten Championship goals and no striker produced more than three league assists.
This suggests that Rusyn, with his 13 goals and six assists during the 2022/23 campaign, has the scope to be a superb option for the ex-Blackburn Rovers manager at the top end of the pitch. His ability to score and assist goals could improve Sunderland’s attack and help them to push up the table this season.
Therefore, the £2.5m-rated finisher could be a dream alternative to Stansfield due to his superior record in front of goal last term and the fact that he would come in on a permanent deal rather than a loan, which means that the talented marksman has room to grow over the course of several years.
