Sunderland look set to miss out as Preston North End striker Jayden Stockley closes in on a move to Charlton Athletic instead, as reported by Bristol Live.
For the second time in a matter of days, Lee Johnson’s Black Cats will be forced to watch a transfer target put pen to paper with a League One play-off rival.
Ipswich Town confirmed the loan signing of the talented Barnsley winger Luke Thomas earlier this week, shortly after Johnson himself confirmed his desire to add a left-footer or two to a rather unbalanced squad (Echo).
Sunderland had also shown an interest in Stockley, a 6ft 2ins scrapper of a targetman.
But reports from down south believe that the Preston benchwarmer is on the verge of a move to Charlton, choosing Lee Bowyer’s Addicks over Sunderland and Bristol Rovers.
This is not the first time Stockley had been linked with a move to Wearside either.
Back in January 2019, the Mirror (02/01, page 49) reported that Sunderland were trying to sign a breakthrough star who had found the net 16 times during a remarkable start to the season at Exeter City.
But, two years after Preston paid £750,000 to secure Stockley’s signature, the Black Cats will once again see the late-blooming 27-year-old slip through their fingers.
Then again, if Charlie Wyke can maintain the sort of form the showed last weekend when firing home a brilliant hat-trick against AFC Wimbledon, maybe Lee Johnson might not need another number nine renowned for his size and strength.
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