Sunderland need depth in their front line and Ross McCormack – a summer target – could well be available again.
Ross McCormack may not have been an entirely popular figure at Aston Villa, but he is certainly a talent.
The Scotland international again showed his quality with a stunning free-kick in Melbourne City’s 3-1 defeat to Perth Glory on Friday.
And that goal came at roughly the same time as Villa boss Steve Bruce was confirming a long injury lay-off for Jonathan Kodjia – as reported by the BBC.
But Bruce has repeatedly opted not to turn to McCormack and so even the removal of Villa’s star forward might not see the former Fulham man handed an opportunity back at his parent club.
Instead, when his loan deal in Melbourne expires in January, McCormack will surely be looking to agree a move away from Villa Park for the end of the season – and Sunderland should be interested.
The Black Cats were credited with an interest in the forward in the summer, in the Chronicle, with then manager Simon Grayson having worked with McCormack at Leeds United.
That move did not come off and Grayson has now departed, but that should not stop Sunderland taking another look.
A number of factors have contributed to Sunderland’s plight this term, with one of them the absence of Lewis Grabban through injury earlier in the campaign, with James Vaughan clearly not an able deputy at this level.
Chris Coleman is now aspiring to keep the Black Cats in the Championship and they could benefit from having a second proven second-tier striker next season.
Given how poor Sunderland have been with Vaughan as an option, McCormack hardly looks like a risk.
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