With just weeks to spare until the Premier League season returns to our TV screens, Sunderland are evidently struggling in the potentially season-determining transfer market. Having only signed a mere 4 players, three on bosman deals, fans and coaches alike are growing impatient with the lack of progress Sunderland seem to be making. The major issue the Black Cats are facing is that they’re failing to muster sufficient determination when it comes to pursuing a player. It appears as though manager, Gus Poyet and sporting director, Lee Congerton are literally crossing names off their lists, rather than endeavouring to negotiate successfully with transfer targets.
Frustrating Summer for Gus Poyet and Sunderland
Earlier this week Gus Poyet stated that he was resolute in making four signings in the next 7 days, which is rather ambitious considering the Mackems have only managed to seal 4 deals in the last month. Sunderland fans are beginning to get increasingly tired of hearing that the club is”linked” and “close” to deals with players, yet for these supposed deals never to materialise. Unfortunately for the North Easterners, luck hasn’t been on their side, having had a bid for former loan star, Fabio Borini accepted, yet the player did not want to make a permanent move to Wearside and instead wanted to fight for a place in a star-studded Liverpool team. In the last week, Sunderland have signed Dutch left back, Patrick Van Aanholt, but, to the disappointment of many Sunderland supporters, this deal puts an end to the interest in another, successful loanee, Marcos Alonso, who made a lasting impression on loan last term.
After losing 12 players at the end of last season, Sunderland have an incredibly shallow squad and are still yet to strengthen in positions that were highlighted as priorities at the beginning of the window. What’s made this Summer’s transfer window tougher than most for many a Sunderland fan, is that the club have been linked with some top talent; Cristian Rodriguez, Christian Atsu, Fabio Borini and Ashley Williams have all been names which have regularly cropped up in the rumour mill, yet sadly many of these links have fizzled out, crushing the hopes of the Sunderland faithful. The longer the Mackems take to bring in more players, the greater the risk they pose of repeating last season’s turmoil. The Black Cats have lacked urgency in the market, and have been too calm and cautious when it come to transfers, consequently missing out on targets. Sunderland fans will be hoping that Poyet delivers the four quality signings he’s intending to bring to the club and many will be hoping that the players will bring both assurance and optimism to the club’s support.
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