1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Transfer Rumours The rumour mill

Discussion in 'Sunderland' started by C19RK73, May 13, 2015.

  1. C19RK73

    C19RK73 Red & White army!

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2012
    Messages:
    37,544
    Likes Received:
    12,202
    SUNDERLAND will attempt to sign long-term defensive target Virgil van Dijk this summer if they successfully retain their Premier League status in the next two games.

    And having tracked the Celtic defender for the best part of two years, the Black Cats have seen their chances of landing the 23-year-old increase after he signalled his desire to leave Parkhead this summer.

    Lee Congerton made an aborted effort to sign van Dijk last summer, only for Celtic’s refusal to budge on their £10m valuation of the centre-half to force the Black Cats to shelve their interest.

    Since then, van Dijk has played a key role in Celtic’s triumph in both the SPL and Scottish League Cup, but the uncompetitive nature of the Scottish top-flight has forced him to reassess his options.

    He is determined to break into the Dutch national side, and has accepted that a move away from Glasgow could be a major help to his international ambitions.

    “Celtic are a great club with a fantastic stadium, and the fans are great,” said van Dijk. “But the competition is not too good.

    “I want to develop. If the opportunity is there, I would definitely consider a transfer. But maybe there will be nothing.”

    His comments will be of considerable interest to Sunderland’s recruitment team, with at least one new centre-half a key priority this summer.

    Wes Brown and Anthony Reveillere will both come to the end of their contracts next month, and as things stand, neither is expected to be offered a new deal at the Stadium of Light if the Black Cats remain in the Premier League.

    Sebastian Coates and Santiago Vergini are only on Wearside on loan, and while there is the option of a agreeing a two-year permanent deal with the latter, the acquisition of an experienced central defender is regarded as a key requirement.

    Sunderland scouts have watched van Dijk intermittently in the last 18 months, and he remains extremely highly regarded within the club’s recruitment network.

    Whoever is appointed as permanent head coach in the summer will have an input into the identification and capture of new signings, and if Dick Advocaat is handed the opportunity to remain in his current position beyond the end of the season, he is expected to support the pursuit of his compatriot.

    Whether Sunderland can pull off a deal remains to be seen, as they will face considerable competition if van Dijk is given the green light to leave Parkhead. Tottenham and Southampton have been heavily linked with his services, along with a number of clubs in the Bundesliga.

    Major changes are in the offing this summer, regardless of what division Sunderland find themselves playing in next season, and Oldham boss Darren Kelly is ready to test the Black Cats’ resolve to hold on to youngster Duncan Watmore.

    Watmore scored his sixth goal in the last six reserve games as Sunderland’s development team beat Chelsea on Monday night, but his only senior appearance came as a substitute in an FA Cup win over Carlisle United in January 2014.

    Kelly worked with Watmore when he was a coach at the Academy of Light, and as he ponders a summer rebuild at Boundary Park, he admits the 21-year-old forward is one of the players on his wish list.

    “I think he’s absolutely fantastic,” said the Oldham manager. “He should be playing first-team football at Sunderland, I believe.

    “If I thought for a second we could get him, then he would be a great acquisition. I’d say watch this space, though.”
     
    #1
  2. DAPARKERSAFC

    DAPARKERSAFC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    4,381
    Likes Received:
    1,678
    Paying Rodwell money on a center half who's looked good in a pub league, I'm skeptical.

    Curtis Davies is going into last year of contratct. Hull paid £2.25m two years ago.

    I'd rather try and get Davies for £1m-2m than spend nearly all our budget on V.Djik.

    Davies was exceptional last season and on the brink of England call up. This year Bruce has picked his own son ahead of him and they are worse off.
     
    #2
  3. Brian Storm

    Brian Storm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2012
    Messages:
    48,871
    Likes Received:
    16,294
    Curtis Davis has one good season in the last 4 or 5 seasons. Defo step back imo.

    I'd take that young left back Andrew Robertson for competition with PVS. Young and very bright talent. Exactly the sort of player we should be looking to sign. That's all I'd have from Hull should they stay up. Would have liked Diamé but his injuries this season have put me off big time.
     
    #3
  4. Brian Storm

    Brian Storm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2012
    Messages:
    48,871
    Likes Received:
    16,294
    Oldham boss Darren Kelly is keen on signing Watmore, who has made one appearance for Sunderland.


    View image | gettyimages.com


    Watmore, a 21-year-old striker, has made just one appearance for Sunderland, but a report in the Northern Echo claims that Oldham boss Darren Kelly is keen to sign him this summer.

    Kelly worked with Watmore as academy coach at the Stadium of Light, and he is quoted in the article as believing the youngster deserves to be playing first-team football for the Black Cats.

    The current Oldham boss said: “I think he’s absolutely fantastic. He should be playing first-team football at Sunderland, I believe”

    However, Watmore has played just one game for the Wearside outfit, despite being a consistent goalscorer at Under-21 level.

    He scored his sixth goal in his last six reserve games on Monday night as the Black Cats defeated Chelsea 1-0, but his only senior appearance was more than a year ago, as he came on as a substitute in an FA Cup victory over Carlisle in January 2014. This season he has netted 14 goals for the Under-21 side, impressing in may of his youth outings.

    It is a surprise that he has not featured more this term, with the Premier League strugglers failing to find the back of the net and in need of a consistent goalscorer, and his lack of game time has increased Oldham’s interest.

    The League One club are keen on signing him this summer, and any deal will likely hinge on the guarantees of playing time that Watmore receives from Sunderland ahead of the new campaign.
     
    #4
  5. Commachio

    Commachio Rambo 2021

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2011
    Messages:
    93,664
    Likes Received:
    43,720
    ^^^^^ expect more clubs to come sniffing.
     
    #5
  6. Blunham Mackem

    Blunham Mackem Well-Known Member
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2011
    Messages:
    10,790
    Likes Received:
    4,921
    If we let the lad go it'll be a bloody scandal!!
     
    #6
  7. DAPARKERSAFC

    DAPARKERSAFC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    4,381
    Likes Received:
    1,678
    HB
    Before last season he had two exceptional years at Birmingham and rightly earned is move back to the premier league.

    He's 30 so a good age for a centerback. FFor 1-2 m there won't be any better around IMO We ccould need 2 or 3 after all.

    I really like Robertson but don'tthink he'll end up here. Villa I reckon.
     
    #7
  8. Brian Storm

    Brian Storm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2012
    Messages:
    48,871
    Likes Received:
    16,294
    Don't rate him fella, Championship CBs don't come up against worldclass technique players week in week out. He may well be a very good Championship CB but he doesn't represent progression for me. I don't even think he's the bast CB at Hull, I think James Chester is better than him already and he's only 26. Wouldn't want him either. Robertson would be the only one I'd take.

    I don't want squad fillers, our squad size is adequate and all signings from now should represent progress.
     
    #8
  9. DAPARKERSAFC

    DAPARKERSAFC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    4,381
    Likes Received:
    1,678
    I'd take Jelavic and move Fletcher on. Has 8 league goals this season
     
    #9
  10. Brian Storm

    Brian Storm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2012
    Messages:
    48,871
    Likes Received:
    16,294
    Move Fletch on defo. I'd rather take Ings for free, in fact I'd love that. I like the look of Ulloa, Biram Diouf looks to be coming of age nicely anarl, right handfull, all players I'd rather go for over Jalavic who'll be turning 30 going into the new season. I want players fitting the young to entering prime category next season if we stay up, not players leaving their prime who'll be decent in their first season and all down hill from there.
     
    #10

  11. Tel (they/them)

    Tel (they/them) Sucky’s Bailiff

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    61,442
    Likes Received:
    55,692
    One player that every team outside the top 5/6 should be pitching for in the summer is Javier Hernandez.

    He's got goals left in him for sure, he's a clever player and scored important goals when the pressure is on.

    I think he'll get plenty of offers this summer, I hope he stays in the Premier League rather than going abroad.
     
    #11
  12. grandpops

    grandpops Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2013
    Messages:
    10,573
    Likes Received:
    4,559
    WEST HAM manager Sam Allardyce is NOT under consideration to be the next Sunderland head coach, the Echo understands.

    Former Sunderland defender Allardyce is the second favourite with the bookmakers to be the long-term successor to Gus Poyet, with the Black Cats due to consider their options when Dick Advocaat’s short-term contract expires at the end of the season.

    Sunderland are keen to continue with the head coach / director of football model, despite that system so far failing to progress the club from an annual relegation battle
    Allardyce’s deal at Upton Park expires next month and with big doubts over whether he will be offered the chance to stay with the Hammers, the 60-year-old is likely to be available this summer.


    “It all depends on the negotiations - talks about me, the staff, the players, the budget,” said Allardyce yesterday when asked on his chances of penning a new West Ham contract.


    But it is understood that Allardyce is not one of the names Sunderland are contemplating for the summer, regardless of which the division the Black Cats are in.

    Sunderland are keen to continue with the head coach/director of football model, despite that system so far failing to progress the club from an annual relegation battle.

    It is not thought that Allardyce would fit into that framework, with Sunderland on the look-out for a coach, rather than a traditional manager.

    Real Madrid assistant Paul Clement - a former colleague of Sunderland sporting director Lee Congerton at Chelsea - is far more of a natural fit, and is understood to have been on the club’s radar for several months.

    With speculation continuing over Carlo Ancelotti’s future at Real Madrid after the Spanish giants’ Champions League elimination on Wednesday night, Clement could be available this summer too, albeit there are several clubs interested in his services.

    Advocaat, himself, remains the odds-on favourite to take the Sunderland job on a long-term basis.

    But there are still over whether the 67-year-old - who has confirmed this will be his last job in football - would be willing to stay on, while Sunderland’s original plan was always to make a long-term appointment at the end of the season.
     
    #12
  13. Brian Storm

    Brian Storm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2012
    Messages:
    48,871
    Likes Received:
    16,294
    Walter Mazzarri has been linked with a summer move to north east England and is reportedly considering offers from Sunderland and Newcastle United.

    The 53- year-old former Napoli Coach was fired by Inter in November and is believed to want to test himself in the Premier League.

    Calciomercato.com have reported that Mazzarri spent last week touring England, including a trip to Goodison Park last Saturday to watch Everton play Sunderland.

    The website believes that the Black Cats have made an approach to bring the Coach to the Stadium of Light and reunite him with Inter-owned attacker Ricky Alvarez.

    Sunderland will reportedly sign Alvarez in the summer for €11m if they can secure Premier League survival in their final two matches.

    However, Newcastle United are believed to also be interested in bringing in Mazzarri if they stay up and could tempt the Coach with a large transfer budget.

    The former Inter boss is still protected by his Nerazzurri contract and would be paid €3.5m over the next year, but is believed to be interested in an English switch.
     
    #13
  14. DAPARKERSAFC

    DAPARKERSAFC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    4,381
    Likes Received:
    1,678
    Ings will go to a top side. Ulloa and Diouf will be staying put unless someone offers silly money.

    Jelevic is a proven scorer who'sbetter than we have and won'tccost a great deal
     
    #14
  15. Nordic

    Nordic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    8,032
    Likes Received:
    6,078
    ings is off to liverpool, i believe/heard somewhere.

    i'd like phillips from qpr. what about Fer, or is he i the rotten egg brigade?
     
    #15
  16. Brian Storm

    Brian Storm Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2012
    Messages:
    48,871
    Likes Received:
    16,294
    I'd take Fer in a heartbeat fella. A real step up.
     
    #16
  17. DAPARKERSAFC

    DAPARKERSAFC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2011
    Messages:
    4,381
    Likes Received:
    1,678
    Matty Phillips would be first through the door for me. Exactly what we need.

    I like Fer but think he'll be out of our price range. Congerton has a £10m center midfielder with his reputation on his shoulders.

    I do think we need an attacking center midfielder though.
     
    #17
  18. Sam_Fring

    Sam_Fring Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2011
    Messages:
    1,551
    Likes Received:
    211
    Leroy Fer has relegated his last two teams hasn't he?

    I like James Morrison at WBA. Is he a Boro lad originally? Technically good and with great energy.
     
    #18
  19. Sam_Fring

    Sam_Fring Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2011
    Messages:
    1,551
    Likes Received:
    211
    Alvarez for €11m is crazy from what I've seen of him.

    Jelavic's knees have gone, he gets subbed off after an hour every game.

    Like Austin more than Ings
     
    #19
  20. malagamackem

    malagamackem Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 10, 2014
    Messages:
    1,688
    Likes Received:
    10,120

Share This Page