Report suggests Sunderland could compete with Leeds United for Ross McCormack

Follow us on Google Discover

Ross McCormack is set to return to Aston Villa as his loan comes to an end, but Championship rivals Leeds and Sunderland could hand him a lifeline.

Just last week, the Birmingham Mail stated that Aston Villa were hoping that Ross McCormack’s remarkable run of form over in the Australian A-League would give them a genuine chance of recouping a decent transfer fee for their £12 million flop.

And it seems that they could be onto something. Because The Sun (23^rd January, page 55) reports that Leeds United are weighing up a £4.5 million deal to bring McCormack back to Elland Road.

While that deal would represent a loss of £7.5 million, Villa will be relieved to learn that there are still clubs willing to take a punt on a player who has restored his reputation with some truly sensational performances for Melbourne City.

McCormack has hit 14 for the Aussie team, including a wide range of wonder-goals.

But Leeds may not be the only club willing to offer the stocky Scot a fresh start in English football. Because The Chronicle reports that Sunderland could turn their attention back to McCormack if a deal to sign Derby County’s Chris Martin on loan falls through.

Former Leeds boss Simon Grayson, who got the best out of McCormack at Elland Road, was hoping to lure his former star man to the Stadium of Light over the summer but the cash-strapped club could not find a way to finance the deal.

But with McCormack’s loan spell at Melbourne City set to come to an end before the transfer window shuts, the Black Cats may be keen on the idea of making another move for a striker once viewed as one of the Championship’s best.

Sunderland obviously could not compete with Leeds’ £4.5 million offer, however, and it seems a little fanciful to expect that Villa would let him leave on loan again.