If Leicester City let Leonardo Ulloa leave on loan in January, surely Sunderland will join Aston Villa in the race for a striker they tried to sign a year ago.
Sunderland are facing up to the very real prospect of losing their talisman and top scorer midway through the season – which will do little to help their prospects of climbing away from the relegation zone.
Bournemouth have the option of re-calling Sunderland loanee Lewis Grabban in the January transfer window and manager Eddie Howe hinted to Sky Sports on Tuesday that the striker, who has 11 goals in 17 games for struggling Sunderland, could be sold elsewhere in the New Year.
According to The Sun (10th December, page 65) Aston Villa have been linked while The Chronicle say that Wolves have entered talks.
Therefore, Sunderland simply must move renew their interest in Leonardo Ulloa with it looking increasingly likely that Grabban could be leaving Wearside as early as next month.
The Birmingham Mail state that Aston Villa are hoping to bring the Leicester City striker to the club in January to compensate for the injury-enforced absence of Jonathan Kodjia. But, like Sunderland, Villa are strapped for cash – suggesting that they think Ulloa may be made available on loan.
The Black Cats were desperate to bring Ulloa to the Stadium of Light last January, The Telegraph claiming that they even made a third and final offer of £8 million.
And one year on, the striker is a stand-out option for Sunderland again – having scored almost one-in-two on average during a spell at Brighton between 2012 and 2014.
So if Chris Coleman’s side get any indication that Leicester may be willing to let Ulloa go on a short-term basis, Sunderland must throw their hat into the ring.
After all, there would be few better replacements for Grabban.
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