Business will be quiet this month, says Cats rival Fry
Sunderland will look to do business this January transfer window but a promotion rival believes it will be a quiet period for League One clubs.
With a takeover in the offing and new head coach Lee Johnson not long in the job, the Black Cats hope to bolster their squad this month.
But Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry believes the salary cap rules will limit the amount of business done.
“T h e s a l a r y c ap m a ke s things more difficult for everyone,” Fry told the Peterborough Telegraph.
“You c a n b i d £ 1 m i l l io n for a player and have it accepted, but you then have to fit his wages, his agent’s fee, a signing-on fee and his bonuses into the salary cap, and I suspect most clubs are already close to the maximum they are allowed to spend. “Clubs like Sunderland also have the problem of offl o a d i n g p l aye r s wh o a re c u r re ntl y o n go o d m o ney. It won’t be easy to shift th o s e p l aye r s o n to m a ke room for any new signings. “I read somewhere that there were 1,472 players without a club at the end of last season and that there are still over a thousand of them looking for clubs.
“It’s a very sad situation and one that is only going to get worse.
“I don’t expect us to do a lot of business unless we lose a player.
"We h ave h ad l oa n e nquiries for players who are not regulars in the matchday squad, but it’s up to the manager (Darren Ferguson) if he wants to let them go.”
Sunderland have a free weekend coming up after th e i r L ea g ue O n e f i x tu re against Fleetwood Town was rearranged for next month.