Portsmouth were set to sign Plymouth Argyle forward Freddie Ladapo – but the £500k striker could reportedly join Sunderland instead.
Freddie Ladapo’s proposed £500,000 move to Portsmouth has fallen through and, according to the Northern Echo, Sunderland will now look to snap up the striker from under Kenny Jackett’s nose.
The Romford-born forward is a man in demand after scoring 18 League One goals for relegated Plymouth Argyle last season. And two of the biggest clubs in the division had shown an interest with Ladapo expected to leave Home Park after just 12 months.
The Echo claims that Sunderland had made a move for Ladapo but he was leaning towards a move to Fratton Park instead, given that he had hoped to stay in the south of England.
But despite agreeing a £500,000 deal, the former Crystal Palace youngster won’t be joining the 2008 FA Cup winners after all with ‘financial issues’ seeing the move fall apart.
And this has not gone unnoticed on Wearside. The report adds that Sunderland will now make a ‘renewed approach’ for a player who could add some much needed firepower to Jack Ross’ front-line.
Sunderland’s chances of automatic promotion from League One slipped away once they sold top scorer Josh Maja to Bordeaux in the January transfer window and, after Will Grigg’s struggles at the Stadium of Light, Ross appears to have prioritised signing a striker who is proven at League One level. Doncaster Rovers’ John Marquis is another option.
Ladapo enjoyed the best season of his career at Plymouth and, if he replicates those 18 goals at Sunderland, a return to the Championship might be on the cards.
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