Parky keeping a close eye on Wolves’ Sarkic
SUNDERLAND are stepping up their interest in Wolves goalkeeper Matija Sarkic as they look to bring in competition for Lee Burge.
The Black Cats are seeking a new goalkeeper following the departure of first-choice shotstopper Jon McLaughlin, whose contract ran out at the end of June and who has joined Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.
The Wearsiders already have an experienced No 1 in Burge and a promising youngster in Anthony Patterson, who signed a new contract this summer.
However, the plan is to send 20-year-old Patterson out on loan to gain first-team experience and that means boss Phil Parkinson needs another goalkeeper to offer cover and competition for ex-Coventry City man Burge.
Sarkic is one of the names under serious consideration by Sunderland and he is available on loan after joining Wolves on a threeyear deal over the summer.
The 23-year-old Montenegro international left Aston Villa at the end of June after five years in which he did not make a firstteam appearance for the Villans, although he did spend time on loan with Wigan Athletic, Statford Town, Havant and Waterlooville and, last season, at Scottish Premiership side Livingston.
■ DANNY Graham could be set to return to Sunderland - four years after moving on.
The Black Cats have been linked with a reunion with the striker, who spent a wretched three-anda-half year spell on Wearside in the early-to-mid 2010s.
Gateshead-born Graham was a £5m deadline-day signing from Swansea City in January 2013 by Martin O’Neill.
O’Neill was convinced Graham could win over the Sunderland fans, believing the striker’s goals would soon overshadow his roots as a Newcastle United fan.
Graham’s return of just one goal in 42 appearances put paid to that hope, the player becoming a focus of fans’ ire as the club kicked around in the lower reaches of the top flight.
However, since leaving Wearside for Blackburn Rovers in 2016, Graham has netted 50 goals in 173 outings for the Lancashire side.
Rovers were relegated from the Championship in his first season at Ewood Park but his 14 league goals made him the club’s joint second-highest scorer - and earned him a place in the PFA League One team of the year - the following year as Blackburn won promotion back to the second tier.
He was also named Rovers’ player of the year in the club’s first season back in the Championship.
Graham left Blackburn this summer and is available as a free agent, which is where Sunderland’s interest comes in.
He would not be first-choice to lead the line but would be competition for Charlie Wyke.