Sunderland tried to sign Ryan Woods from Brentford in the summer and were interested in reviving a deal in January.
Sunderland need quality players and they need them fast. Bottom of the table with just one win from 16 Championship fixtures, the January transfer window simply cannot come around quickly enough.
Their hopes of finally signing Brentford midfielder Ryan Woods, however, have taken a real hit in recent times. The Sunday People (September 24th, page 47) reported that the Black Cats were hoping to lure the 23-year-old to the Stadium of Light in January after failing in a bid to sign him during the summer.
The report added that a bid of £3 million might have been enough to convince Brentford to sell but with Sunderland’s financial situation precarious to say the least, it seems hugely unlikely that they would be able to spend such a figure on one player.
And with Woods playing a central role in an unbeaten eight game streak that has lifted Brentford from near the bottom of the table to within four points of the play-off positions, The Bees would surely now have second thoughts about selling the in-form midfielder.
Particularly after his masterclass performance in last Saturday’s 3-1 win against Leeds United. Woods dominated the midfield battle, completing 84 per cent of his passes, and sealed the victory in stoppage time via a cultured first-time finish from the edge of the box.
It was a moment of quality that Sunderland fans have been starved off all season long. And while it appears unlikely that Brentford will be looking to sell Woods after his decent run of performances, why on earth would the player himself join a club that looks, for want of a better term, doomed?
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