Sunderland need a proven League One striker and reported December target Charlie Wyke could star at the Stadium of Light.
And, six months on, a deal for the towering hit man would make even more sense. Sunderland finished bottom of the Championship last season and are now preparing for life in League One, and signing a new striker should be their top priority.
The Sun claimed in April that the Black Cats had put together a list of targets; young, hungry players who have proved themselves at League One level. And Wyke, who was born not far from Sunderland in the nearby town of Middlesbrough, ticks a lot of boxes.
The former Hartlepool United front man is 25 and appears to be getting better by the season. 2017/18 was the most prolific campaign of Wyke’s career, the old-school centre-forward netting 15 times in League One.
So he would give Sunderland a much needed presence in attack, a man who has shown he can score goals in the third tier and who boasts far more lower league experience than unproven youngsters like Josh Maja and Joel Asoro.
New owner Stuart Donald has suggested that the austerity days of Ellis Short, when the cash-strapped club were forced to rely on free agents and loan signings, could be coming to an end.
“Looking at the numbers we have put through, the budget for Sunderland is going to be pretty hefty for League One,” Donald said in quotes reported by the Daily Record (16.41pm)
“It’s going to be a lot more than any of the teams that got promoted last season had got. It’s going to be a good budget for Sunderland and I’m sure it’s a budget one or two Championship clubs would like.”
Spending £2 million on Wyke would be a good use of this new found funds.
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