Though the club hasn’t realised anywhere near the £14 million that Everton apparently offered a mere 24 months ago it looks as though Lamine Kone’s hefty wages are no longer something the club needs to worry about as his loan deal to RC Strasbourg seems to be going through. (Now officially announced.) On top of that it appears that the French club will be paying a loan fee with an option to sign in a year’s time.
I don’t know if securing this deal was necessary before the club could announce the signing of a much needed centre forward but finally they have confirmed something that websites everywhere announced well ahead of his official unveiling. But now they have may we at Salut! Sunderland roll out the welcome mat for the eleventh time this summer and join in with the salutations for a much needed addition to the forward line. Read what the club has to say here.
Although an injury suffered in a preseason friendly means we won’t be seeing him lead the line for a few weeks, the squad is beginning to look somewhere like what the manager wants. In a reversal of what we are often told about players coming to live in the North East, it has been suggested that Teesider Wyke was keen to move back to the land of three rivers, though Bradford is hardly a million miles away.
Doubtless there are still efforts being made for further incomings and outgoings but when all our injured players regain fitness, including the unfortunate Duncan Watmore, the revamped squad is looking more than capable for the challenge of the upcoming campaign, though I’m pretty sure a winger and another proven striker would be on the manager’s wish list.
Cattermole may yet go. Oviedo may yet go too and whilst O’Nien looks like a player who can step into the Cattermole role, it may be necessary to bring in another full back but with Love, Matthews and James and Flanagan all able to play there it may not be vital. The noises coming from the Academy of Light via the owner and manager are suggesting that both Cattermole and Oviedo are showing a good attitude and will feature as long as SAFC retains their registration.
The speculation regarding George Honeyman’s future seems to have ended with his appointment as captain. He is one of the few regulars who have featured over the past two seasons in Jack Ross’s plans and as someone who has been with the club since the age of ten he is doubtless keen to help drive the side onwards and upwards.
It’s all looking pretty positive. Win on Saturday and we go top of the division – for at least a couple of hours. Let’s hope it happens and that we can stay there for the whole season. This is the start of a new chapter and with Wyke’s signature meaning we have signed a whole new team, things may not happen at breakneck speed.
However after several years of underachievement things are looking brighter – but how many times have we said that!
After all the depression of the last couple of years, I think we are all looking forward to the start of the new season.
A new era – with young players mostly – and the chance to win a few home games.
Pitch will be magnificent and the crowd roar as the team comes out will, I am sure, be on the high side.
Getting excited for my 66th season; you would think that I should have been certified by now but Sunderland still gave me my greatest day in sport when winning the cup.
So on we go. Sunderland ’til I die was meant for me – but not for a few years yet. Happy days ahead .
Although this transfer seems to have been dragging on for ages it looks as if Bradford were waiting to tie up a replacement in Eoin Doyle before allowing Wyke to leave. Put that together with the need to get a big earner in Kone off the wage bill could help explain the time it takes to sort these things out.