Sunderland could do with a new striker after Charlie Wyke’s injury.
Jack Ross endured one of his worst weekends as Sunderland manager as the Black Cats suffered their first defeat of the season to Burton Albion – and he lost star striker Charlie Wyke to injury.
Wyke, a summer signing from Bradford City, only just returned to action in the summer after a knee injury. A collision with Burton goalkeeper Dimitar Evtimov saw him suffer a problem to the same area.
The 25-year-old joined Sunderland after scoring 16 goals and creating another nine for Bradford last season, and has opened his account for the Wearside club once this term in a 1-1 draw against Oxford United.
But if he is injured for a period of time, Sunderland will only have Jerome Sinclair and Josh Maja to choose from, but a lack of a centre-forward that can spearhead Ross’ side.
A powerhouse is required and if Wyke is indeed sidelined for a considerable amount of time, Ross should consider delving into the free agent market to bolster his side in the final third.
Plenty of well-known names sit on the free agent list, but Ross should not overlook former Sunderland striker Victor Anichebe who was well-regarded among fans at the Stadium of Light during his 2016-17 stay.
He scored three goals in 19 outings while Sunderland were in the Premier League, and now at just 30 years of age, the former Everton striker is available on a free.
Looking for a new club, a return to the Stadium of Light may be of preference to Anichebe, who boasts many similar traits to the physical presence of Wyke. If the latter is injured, Anichebe must be signed.
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