Cats linked with £10m Brady bid
David Moyes is attempting his first foray into the January transfer window with a £10 million-plus bid for Robbie Brady.
The gifted Norwich midfielder is also the subject of interest from Crystal Palace and Leicester.
If the Black Cats are flexing some transfer muscle, it spells good news for the Wearside faithful.
Last month, Sunderland’s chief executive Martin Bain made it plain that there would be no lavish spending once the window was open.
The Black Cats are heavily in debt, while there are issues over the wage bill.
It seemed if Moyes wanted to bring in a player or players he would have to sell first. However, a tilt at 24-year-old Brady would suggest that is not the case given the manager has already rubuffed offers for Jermain Defoe and Patrick van Aanholt from West Ham and Crystal Palace.
Sunderland desperately need strengthening.
The Stadium of Light injury list is colossal
with Victor Anichebe, Lee Cattermole, Lynden Gooch, Jan Kirchhoff, Jordan Pickford, Steven Pienaar and Duncan Watmore all sidelined.
Throw in the fact that Wahbi Khazri, Lamine Kone and Didier Ndong are all away at the Africa Cup of Nations and Moyes is down to the bare bones.
Saturday’s home 3-1 defeat was not overly costly in the fight for safety but it highlighted the side’s deficiencies and a move for Brady is encouraging.
However, it could cost the Wearsiders more.
Norwich reportedly want £13 million for the Republic of Ireland international, with former club Hull due a 25 per cent sellon fee.
The Daily Mail is reporting Sunderland have tabled a £10million offer, but relegation rivals Leicester and Palace are both after him too.
The Foxes have just sold left-footer Jeff Schlupp to Palace for £12 million while the Eagles are backing SAm Allardyce with a January war-chest.
Brady would provide an attacking threat down the left side and he looked good in his time in the Premier League last year with the Canaries. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace boss Sam Allardyce has said that he is now looking abroad for January transfer targets, due to the prices he has been quoted for Premier League players.
Palace had a bid for Sunderland left-back Patrick van Aanholt rejected last week, the Dutchman a key part of the side that escaped relegation under Allardyce last season.
The Black Cats are known to have also knocked back a bid from another club, but it now seems unlikely the Eagles will revisit their interest.