Micky Gray makes prediction about new Sunderland striker Will Grigg

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League One challengers Sunderland paid £4m to sign Will Grigg from Championship strugglers Wigan Athletic.

Sunderland legend Micky Gray is thrilled to see Will Grigg arrive at the Stadium of Light to aid the Black Cats’ promotion push, as reported by talkSPORT (5 February, 12pm).

A new centre-forward become the top priority for the Wearside giants last month after seeing their top scorer Josh Maja join Bordeaux in a cut-price deal.

But Grigg looks like a perfect replacement on paper, having scored 19 goals as Wigan Athletic stormed to the League One title last season. Sunderland paid £4 million to sign the Northern Ireland international, according to the BBC, after seeing five previous bids rejected.

And, speaking to Jim White on talkSPORT, long-serving left-back Gray has given his blessing to Sunderland’s new number 22 as he looks to fire the club back to the Championship at the first attempt.

“He’ll score goals for Sunderland. The disappointing thing is Maja leaving, (owner) Stewart Donald had to react quickly. Grigg is tried and tested at that level, we need those goals to turn those draws around,” said Gray.

“With the experience Will Grigg has got (he’ll give us a push). We’ve done really, really good business.”

Grigg was far from the only new addition at Sunderland during a busy transfer window.

Grant Leadbitter returned to the club where he started his career, 10 years after leaving for Ipswich Town, while Jimmy Dunne, Lewis Morgan and Kazaiah Sterling arrived on loan from Burnley, Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.