Only two points outside of the automatic promotion spots in the Championship table at this moment in time, Sunderland will be hoping 2025 is the year they finally make their long-awaited return to the Premier League happen.
Falling all the way down to League One at one point, the Black Cats are very much now back in promotion contention in the second tier away from any of those nightmares still lingering, with two wins from two picked up in the league so far in January.
Regis Le Bris will hope he gets backed in the January transfer window in order to boost his side’s chances of a dream promotion, with a potent striker very much on the radar.
Sunderland's search for a striker
As reported earlier this week, Sunderland remain in the race to try and sign Stoke City sharpshooter Tom Cannon this month, with his parent club Leicester City perhaps prepared to send him out elsewhere away from the lowly Potters.
Sheffield United are also keen on the clinical 22-year-old’s services, so it remains to be seen whether the Black Cats will come out on top, or if Chris Wilder’s men do indeed have the edge in this ongoing transfer tussle.
If the Wearside outfit were to land the current Stoke hero, fans packed inside the Stadium of Light would be praying that the Republic of Ireland international is a forward of a similar ilk to former goal machine Ross Stewart, who Sunderland have arguably never replaced.
He could also gift the Black Cats another valuable option up top – away from any bold comparisons – with it looking likely that reserve figure Aaron Connolly will be leaving for Millwall this window, with Wilson Isidor no doubt kept on his toes by the loanee’s arrival.
What Cannon can offer Sunderland
Cannon has been a lethal finisher of chances for Stoke this season, even as the Staffordshire side’s season has gone off the boil, with nine strikes tallied up in Championship action. To add further context, Isidor is one short of that total in the league as the Black Cats’ leading man in attack.
With a known reputation for being a reliable poacher now in the EFL, considering the “insane” marksman – as he was labelled by football journalist Pete Smith earlier this season – has fired home 19 career goals in the Championship during a number of fruitful loan moves, it feels likely that he would be a success at Sunderland lining up alongside creative faces like Jobe Bellingham.
Alongside these second-tier heroics, Cannon also fired home a ridiculous 51 goals in total playing for many of Everton’s youth sides before a move to Leicester came to be, with a potential there for the 5 foot 11 ace to become the Black Cats’ next Stewart when assessing their similar deadliness in-front of goal.
Indeed, Stewart was a ruthless attacker for Sunderland when he was still on the books of the Wearside club, with a seriously impressive 40 strikes notched up from 80 clashes, before a move to Southampton was then hampered by recurring injury demons.
Season
Games played
Goals scored
22/23
13
10
21/22
49
26
20/21
12
3
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Amazingly, even during an injury-disrupted final campaign at the Stadium of Light, the constantly dangerous Scotsman still managed to bag ten strikes from 13 league contests, with his scoring frequency coming in at a devastating 104 mins.
Cannon can equally light up tight games at a moment’s notice, seen in his early strike against Sunderland last time out in the FA Cup, with barely four minutes shy on the clock before he tucked home a cool penalty.
With Connolly’s departure soon to be announced, Le Bris does need more options up top, and he could get the best possible replacement in the form of Cannon if a move does get off the ground.
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