Should Sunderland look at January move for Billy Bodin?

Follow us on Google Discover

Sunderland surely need more fire power and creativity, and Bristol Rovers star Billy Bodin is in fine form this term.

With Sunderland enduring one of the most uninspiring windows this summer of any team that has been relegated from the Premier League in recent times, it is no surprise that they are struggling to maintain their Championship status this season – and it may also be no surprise if they end up enduring another difficult window in January.

Chris Coleman will be hoping for some significant funds, but he will surely have to be shrewd in the market if he wants to give the Black Cats the very best chance of dragging themselves away from danger in the second tier.

So perhaps the chance to sign one of League One’s most in-form players for a cut-price deal should be something that the Sunderland boss seriously considers next month.

Billy Bodin has been excellent for Bristol Rovers this term, and is already past halfway in terms of trying to better his best goals tally in a league season, which currently stands at 13 goals in a campaign.

The Bristol Post reports that he is attracting a lot of interest from elsewhere, and what makes the forward so appealing to potential buyers is that he is out of contract with the Gas at the end of the season, so will undoubtedly command a lower fee than a player of his calibre normally would.

Coleman – who played alongside Bodin’s father Paul for the Welsh national team – is likely to be aware of Bodin’s potential as the 25-year-old represented his country at various youth levels, including under-21 while Coleman was manager of the senior side.

His impressive goals tally should surely alert the Black Cats boss, especially if he has to cope with the prospect of losing key man Lewis Grabban during the January window – with the Daily Mail recently reporting that Bournemouth could consider cutting his loan spell short if they receive a permanent offer from elsewhere.

Sunderland have surely got to be extremely clever in January if they want to get themselves out of trouble. Signing a player who has scored 26 times over the last two full league seasons, who can play in a variety of attacking roles, and should not cost the earth given his contract situation would undoubtedly be a great deal for Coleman’s men, so perhaps they should make a move when the window opens.