Sunderland’s Sam Gallagher scouting mission may impact Fabio Borini’s Celtic move

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Sunderland manager David Moyes watched Blackburn Rovers loanee Sam Gallagher in action – has he identified Celtic-linked Fabio Borini’s replacement?

Beleaguered Sunderland boss David Moyes’ claim that he wanted more ‘Britishness’ in his seemingly doomed side only exacerbated the opinion that the Scot remains mired in the past, apparently determined to turn the Black Cats into an ‘old boys club’.

Yet, if he is to transform Sunderland into a side in his image, securing the signature of a highly-rated England Under-20 international wouldn’t be a bad place to start. According to The Chronicle, Moyes was in the Ewood Park crowd to watch Blackburn Rovers striker Sam Gallagher in action on Easter Monday.

And the on-loan Southampton youngster will surely have given Moyes plenty of food for thought. Netting his eleventh Championship goal of the season with a precise header, Gallagher’s presence and impressive aerial ability would certainly enhance an attack set to be stripped of its star, Jermain Defoe, at the end of the season.

Yet, despite his 6ft 4ins frame, Gallagher is no limited targetman. In Blackburn’s 1-1 draw with Bristol City, the 21-year-old was deployed on the right hand side of an attacking three.

Therefore, it’s possible that he could replace the hard-work and energy of the exit-linked Fabio Borini as rumours swirl around the Italian’s future.

Gianluca Di Marzio claimed last week that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was interested in reuniting with a player he nurtured in Chelsea’s academy system.

Borini netted only his second Premier League goal of a profligate season to snatch a point against West Ham on Saturday but his pointed celebration, allegedly a response to Moyes’ team selection, hardly silenced the speculation.

As such, Borini’s agent, and former Sunderland sporting director Roberto Di Fanti, claimed that his client’s exit was ‘inevitable’, as reported by The Chronicle.

Fortunately, however, Gallagher demonstrated on Monday that he could offer far more to the Sunderland attack than a player oddly considered good enough for a side bidding to play Champions League football next season.