COLEMAN HINTS AT LOANS IN JANUARY WINDOW
CHRIS Coleman has promised Sunderland fans new additions in January – though the new boss admits the loan market will be his main source of recruits.
In an informative – and often amusing – phone-in on BBC Newcastle’s Total
Sport this week, Coleman laid out his plans for the remainder of the season.
Relegated from the Premier League last season and struggling at the foot of the Championship table this campaign, Sunderland and their fans are in desperate need of good news.
“January is coming and it will be interesting to see if we can get one or two new faces in, which we will look to do, like most clubs do,” said Coleman.
“Hopefully, we won’t lose too many, but it could be an active window in January.
“Martin (Bain, Sunderland chief executive) was brutally honest with me and said there is no money guaranteed for January.
“Depending on if we do lose a player or receive money for a player or players, then it’s very possible we can reinvest, but that’s not to say there’s not going to be nothing either. I wasn’t promised a transfer kitty in January to go and buy A, B and C.
“There may be no money in January to go and reinvest, but that doesn’t mean we can’t go and strengthen the squad with some loan deals.”
Coleman distanced himself from a move for former striker Jermain Defoe, while also insisting he had heard nothing from Bournemouth about a potential recall for loan star Lewis Grabban.
But the former Wales boss did concede he would love to bring some of his Welsh stars to the Stadium of Light.
“I think if we did sign any of the players who have represented Wales, certainly in my time, I don’t think we’d be disappointed. They were absolutely fantastic players to work with.”