League One challengers Sunderland considered a move for Sheffield United’s Fleetwood Town loanee Ched Evans during the January transfer window.
Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has admitted that he discussed signing Sheffield United striker Ched Evans with manager Jack Ross during the January transfer window.
The Black Cats were linked with a whole host of strikers last month from John Marquis to Tom Eaves but finally got their man in the final few hours of deadline day, snapping up Wigan Athletic’s Will Grigg for £4 million at the sixth time of asking (BBC).
But, with a deal for Grigg up in the air until the very end of the window, Donald has admitted that he made an enquiry about Evans too with the Blades front man impressing in League One on loan at Fleetwood Town.
“I know (Sheffield United manager) Chris Wilder well and I phoned him directly and asked him ‘who you got, who you looking to move out because we need a striker’,” Donald told the Roker Rapport podcast.
“He gave me a couple of names of people out there and I mentioned him (Evans), and we said to Sheffield United that we may be interested.
“Jack talked it through and again it was a footballing decision. We got down the avenue of having a conversation and then Jack said ‘I think we want to go in a different direction, so no thank you’.”
Former Manchester City youngster Evans has a fine record in the third tier of English football, scoring 11 times in 24 games for Joey Barton’s Fleetwood side since he arrived at Highbury on loan from Bramall Lane.
But, for whatever reason, it seems that Evans did not fit into Ross’s blueprint. Grigg, who has averaged over 20 goals a season in League One during spells at Walsall, MK Dons and Wigan Athletic, could prove really value for money even at £4 million.
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