Sunderland’s beleagured manager David Moyes barely gave Wahbi Khazri a chance – and despite some impressive recent displays, he may be sold on.
After their ten year stay in the Premier League was brought to an inevitable and perhaps overdue end in Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat at Bournemouth, Sunderland will already be preparing to bid farewell to a number of key players.
According to The Chronicle, top scorer Jermain Defoe will be followed out of the exit door by the underwhelming Fabio Borini and last season’s saviour Lamine Kone.
However, while the departing trio have all been regular starters in this most turbulent of seasons, another player whose minutes have been limited could also bring an end to his stay at Wearside.
The Chronicle reports that the cash-strapped Black Cats, whose debt crisis limited them to free agents and short-term loans this season, could be on the lookout for clubs willing to sign Wahbi Khazri this summer.
Alongside Kone and Jan Kirchhoff, Khazri played a major role in another great Sunderland escape after being brought to England by former manager Sam Allardyce for £8 million last January, as reported by the Daily Mail.
And while it would be a little overdramatic to suggest the former Bordeaux winger could have spearheaded another survival push under David Moyes, the Scot’s marginalisation of the most naturally gifted player at the club’s disposal hardly helped overcome a maddening lack of creativity.
Khazri has only started seven Premier League games all season with Moyes seemingly put off by a lack of defensive work rate.
Therefore, despite a number of lively performances in recent weeks, including a goal scored directly from a corner against West Ham, it’s unlikely that the 26-year-old will play any sort of a role as Moyes plots a way to return to the Premier League.
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