Last weekend, Sunderland secured their first three points of the Championship season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Rotherham United, with summer signing Jobe Bellingham scoring both goals.
However, with Ross Stewart’s shocking injury record, the Black Cats are still on the hunt for more forward options, and have set their sights on a coveted Premier League youngster…
What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?
According to the Sunderland Echo, the Wearside giants are in the race to sign Fulham striker Jay Stansfield.
Championship clubs Millwall and QPR are also interested in a loan move for the striker, who has a year left on his contract at Craven Cottage, which includes the option of a further 12 months.
When asked about Stansfield ahead of his side’s defeat against Brentford on Saturday, the 20-year-old wasn’t named in the squad, Fulham manager Marco Silva said:
“He is a fantastic boy and we all love him at this football club.
“He wants to play football every single weekend. We are going to make a decision for him, but it depends on our market as well and our squad.
“We don’t want to put him at just any club. He needs to go to a club that plays a certain way.”
Tony Mowbray has also commented on the situation, adding: “I think we’ve got two or three names that we’re juggling. I shouldn’t talk about Jay because nothing is done yet, but he’s one of those we’ve had conversations about.”
Would Jay Stansfield be a good signing for Sunderland?
Stansfield has been at Fulham since 2019 and possesses an incredible scoring record for the U18 and U21 sides, having registered 45 goal contributions in 49 appearances.
Kevin McDonald, who occasionally coached the English youngster during this time, described him as “technically gifted” and a “lovely finisher.”
As a result, Stansfield secured a loan move to Exeter for the 2022/23 season. In 29 starts, he netted nine times and crafted eight assists – a solid return to round off his first move away from West London.
Exeter boss Gary Caldwell enjoyed his time with Stansfield, hailing the prodigy as “sensational” and possessing “fantastic energy and quality.”
After an eye-catching campaign in League One, Stansfield looks ready to make the next step in his glimmering career, with a Championship loan beckoning.
If he makes the move to the Stadium of Light, then he could be partnered in attack with the even more spritely Bellingham, whose Sunderland’s career exploded last weekend.
The playmaker found the net twice, propelling his team to a first victory of the campaign. Bellingham’s teammate Dan Neil was full of praise for the playmaker and said:
“He's an absolute freak of nature, physically. I have never seen a 17-year-old that size. Technically, he is a top, top, player as well."
Therefore, it is an exciting new era for Sunderland, whose exceptional young core would hugely benefit from the arrival of a dynamic, hungry, and prolific striker such as Stansfield.
After narrowly missing out on promotion last term, Bellingham will be entrusted to spearhead another encouraging campaign, and if awarded with the presence of Stansfield, then the club has an even better chance of making their long-awaited return to the top-flight.
