Report: Sunderland tried to sell a player Johnson called ‘really good’ on deadline-day

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Sunderland tried to get rid of Aiden O’Brien on transfer deadline day but a move to League One rivals Doncaster Rovers fell through due to a paperwork error, as reported by the Yorkshire Post.

Sometimes, stats can be deceiving.

Across five games this season, O’Brien has scored four times in Sunderland colours.

Look a little closer, however, and you’ll find that every one of those goals came in the EFL Cup, including a hat-trick in last week’s 3-2 victory over Championship Blackpool.

As far as the League is concerned, the former Millwall forward has found opportunities hard to come by.

The impressive Ross Stewart appears to have the lone-striker role sewn up at the moment, meaning O’Brien has been restricted to just 38 minutes of action across four matchdays.

The late-August arrival of former Bayern Munich starlet Leon Dajaku, on loan from Union Berlin, means the Republic of Ireland international is now at risk of falling even further down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light, despite the fact that manager Lee Johnson described him as a ‘really good player‘ just days ago.

Does Aiden O’Brien have a future at Sunderland?

But with the window now closed until the mid-season panicathon that is the January market, O’Brien has little choice but to make the best of a bad situation.

According to the Yorkshire Post, Doncaster Rovers had agreed a deal for the hard-working 27-year-old on Tuesday.

An error on Sunderland’s end, however, means the requisite paperwork was not submitted before the 11pm deadline.

As a result, O’Brien is stuck on Wearside, a cup clash with Charlie Wyke’s Wigan Athletic in three weeks’ time representing his best hope of securing a rare start in those iconic red and white stripes.

Sunderland did manage to get one striker off their books on deadline day. Will Grigg, £4 million misfit, haunter of Stuart Donald’s dreams, joined Rotherham United on a short-term loan deal.

When you consider that the Millers already look like one of Sunderland’s biggest challengers for an automatic promotion position, you have to wonder whether this is a deal the Black Cats will live to regret.