Winter window manifesto to ensure Sunderland survival
Matt Haynes | December 31, 2015
Sunderland are 9/2 with Coral to stay in the Premier League and, with Sam Allardyce at the helm, there isn’t a better manager in the land who can aid there efforts.
January crucial
A master in the transfer window, Allardyce will already know exactly what type of players he needs to help the club fight their way out of the relegation zone, in what is going to be a tough second half of the season in the Premier League.
Escapology is definitely possible. In the past West Bromwich Albion have done it, while everyone had written off Leicester City last season and look at where they are now! The good thing about Allardyce, is that he has a blueprint which works and he sticks to it, so expect him to apply this to Sunderland’s transfer policy in January.
Who will Allardyce target?
Reportedly, Sunderland have already agreed a deal to sign Lorient defender Lamine Kone and the 26-year-old looks like he has the physical attributes to cope with the Premier League.
Following this, Stoke City’s Marc Wilson is understood to be on the Black Cat’s radar who can operate in defence or midfield, however, there could be another Potters player who might make perfect sense.
With Bojan Krkic, Marco Arnautovic and Xherdan Shaqiri forming a formidable front three and Mame Biram Diouf plus Joselu in reserve, Peter Crouch could decide to evaluate his options.
He is exactly the type of player that Allardyce likes and as well as this, he would be reunited with Jermain Defoe, with the pair striking up a successful partnership with Portsmouth, Tottenham and, briefly England. A loan move initially could be enough to tempt all parties, especially if Crouch wants regular football.
Townsend to top the list?
Perhaps the jewel in Sunderland’s crown could well be Spurs’ Andros Townsend, with his club reportedly keen to cash in on the 24-year-old winger.
While a bidding war is expected to ensue, the Black Cats appear to have offered the player a substantial pay-rise compared to other interested parties, which include rivals Newcastle, West Brom and Watford.
There is no doubt that he would add something favourable to Sunderland, with the the England international possessing an ability to cut inside and strike from distance, while his pace would be advantageous on the counter-attack.
Whatever happens with Sunderland in the transfer window, fans can take heart from the fact that they have the right man in charge of their club to get them to safety.
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