The 2022/23 Championship season kicks off on Friday night and Sunderland have endured a slow summer transfer window in the build-up to the opening match.
Alex Neil has brought in Daniel Ballard and Aji Alese on permanent deals from Arsenal and West Ham respectively, whilst also snapping up Jack Clarke and Leon Dajaku after their loan spells last term.
They are yet to make a single addition to their attack outside of players they had in their squad last season and they have lost Nathan Broadhead, who is now back with his parent club Everton.
This means that the Black Cats head into their opening game against Coventry at the weekend with one senior striker on the books – Ross Stewart.
Kristjaan Speakman could land the club their next version of the Scottish goal machine, though, as he is reportedly keen on a deal to snap up Ellis Simms from Everton.
The gem, who played one game for Sunderland’s under-18s earlier in his career, has the potential to be a lethal scorer for the club, after experience in the Premiership and League One.
Should Sunderland sign Simms?
Stewart found the back of the net nine times in 41 Scottish top-flight games prior to his move to Wearside. Since making the switch to the Stadium of Light, the Scotland international has produced an eye-catching 29 goals in 65 appearances in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Simms scored seven goals in 21 outings for Hearts and managed 10 goals in 22 League One games for Blackpool. Throughout his career at senior and youth level, he has racked up a whopping 75 goals and seven assists in 135 matches, which shows that the phenomenon has the potential to be a consistent scorer for Sunderland.
Toffees reporter Chris Smith once called him a “clinical finisher“, and one of his former coaches John Ebbrell previously hailed his talent in front of goal, saying: “What I do know with Ellis, if he ends up one-vs-one with the goalkeeper, he’s scoring.
“From experience, I know if you have time to think for that finish it can be difficult but Ellis is really calm and composed in those situations. He very rarely misses.”
Simms’ sublime statistics in his short career so far back up these claims and paint the picture of a young player who is ready to settle down at a club on a permanent basis.
Sunderland must now snap him up from the Toffees and offer him the chance to prove that he can be the club’s next Stewart, whilst competing with the Scotsman for a place in the team or possibly playing alongside him.
AND in other news, Neil plotting Sunderland bid for £500k target who “rarely misses”, imagine him & Pritchard…
