Cats’ Rudoni bid turned down as Wombles try to hold on to young goalscoring man in the middle
CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS EYEING JACK
SUNDERLAND are among the Championship sides to have had a £1m bid rejected for AFC Wimbledon midfielder Jack Rudoni.
Huddersfield Town and Bristol City have also reportedly seen bids knocked back for the 21-year-old.
Rudoni remains a key part of new boss Johnnie Jackson’s plans as he plots a return to League One following relegation last season.
The midfielder scored 12 goals and notched five assists in 41 league games last season and has caught the eye of the three aforementioned Championship clubs.
The Wombles value Rudoni at more than the £1m offered and Jackson is understood to see the schemer as an integral part of his side’s promotion bid next season.
However, Wimbledon could be tempted to sell the youngster and reinvest into the squad ahead of next season.
The Black Cats are yet to add to their squad for next season, aside from making Leon Dajaku’s loan deal permanent, but are hopeful of bringing Jack Clarke and Nathan Broadhead back to the club after impressing on loan last season.
Sunderland have also been linked with midfielder Robbie Brady and strikers Troy Parrott and Cameron Archer in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Black Cats boss Alex Neil (right) will be hoping he can add all the correct ingredients this summer as the Black Cats look to emulate last season’s loan successes.
Clarke and Broadhead will naturally spring to mind but it is worth noting the impact others had along the way too. Goalkeeper Ron-Thorben Hoffman kept eight clean sheets in 23 outings before being replaced in the starting XI by Anthony Patterson, who was superb towards the end of the campaign.
With discussions ongoing regarding the return of both Clarke and Broadhead, further additions in the loan market could generate even more success. Premier League clubs may look to provide their upcoming stars with a chance in the second tier and Parrott could fit that bill should his proposed move to the Stadium of Light be given the go-ahead.
With the future of Ross Stewart still hanging in the balance, Josh Maja is another name in the frame with a potential loan deal perhaps the best way to proceed.
The 23-year-old former Sunderland striker has just one year left on his current contract with Bordeaux.
The goalkeeper department is one which the club could look to bolster, if Patterson is to continue as the number one next season, which looks increasingly likely.
Leicester City’s Daniel Iversen was superb with Preston last season and, with a deal for Newcastle’s Freddie Woodman almost seemingly over the line it seems this could be another avenue in the loan market Neil could look to explore.