Sunderland have been linked with a move for Chris Martin from Championship rivals Derby County but is he the man Chris Coleman needs?
On his day, Chris Martin is one of the Championship’s most lethal strikers. The Scotland international was Derby County’s top scorer for three successive seasons between 2013 and 2016, netting 54 goals in that time.
He hasn’t been quite so prolific since then, however. An ill-judged move to Fulham resulted in only ten league strikes while he has fallen to fourth place in the Derby pecking order this season.
So while Sunderland appear to be making a positive move targeting a player with a proven Championship track record, according to the Sun (5th December, page 60), it is worth taking into consideration Chris Coleman’s comments about targeting hungry youngsters rather than senior players whose best years are behind them.
‘Give me an 18, 19, 20-year-old who is climbing with a bit of fight and fire in his belly, I’ll take that all day long,” the 47-year-old told The Mail.
Sunderland are expected to complete the loan signing of Ben Woodburn from Liverpool, a hugely exciting 18-year-old whose career looks set to explode in the near future. Coleman knows just how talented the teenager is, handing him his Wales debut in September and being rewarded with a wondergoal winner against Austria.
Martin, in comparison, simply doesn’t look like the goal-scoring force he once was. With Matej Vydra, David Nugent and Sam Winnall ahead of him at Derby, the 29-year-old has managed just five starts and one goal this season.
Sunderland’s recruitment has let them down badly in recent years. If they can get Martin back to his best, he could save them from the drop.
On current form, however, that is a big ‘if’.
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