Sheffield Wednesday striker Sam Winnall fired Barnsley to promotion out of League One but can he save Phil Parkinson’s Sunderland?
Sunderland have renewed their interest in long-term target Sam Winnall, according to the Northern Echo, with the Sheffield Wednesday striker’s contract expiring at the end of this season.
Phil Parkinson has made it clear during a disastrous run of form that new signings are required during the January transfer window and a proven League One centre-forward like Winnall could go a long way to turning around this sinking ship.
The report claims that Sunderland have been big fans of the one-time Wolves youngster since his prolific spell at Barnsley in 2015/16. Winnall netted 24 goals in all competitions that season as Paul Heckingbottom’s Tykes sealed promotion out of the third tier while lifting the EFL Trophy.
And, given that putting the ball in the back of the net has been a huge problem for the Black Cats this season, landing the 28-year-old on a cut price deal could prove to be an inspired bit of business.
Winnall expects to leave Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent basis before the month is out, three years after joining the Owls from Yorkshire rivals Barnsley in a £500,000 deal (Sun). The striker’s contract had just six months left to run at Oakwell back in the winter of 2017, and Sunderland will be hoping that they can agree a deal for a similarly reduced fee three years on.
No one in Parkinson’s squad has scored more than seven League One goals all season with Will Grigg, Charlie Wyke and Marc McNulty netting just nine between them. If Winnall can rediscover his golden touch on Wearside, then the play-offs would not look so far away after all.
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