Sunderland have been linked with Julian Baumgartlinger.
According to a report in The Sun, Sunderland are keen on signing Julian Baumgartlinger.
The report claims that the Black Cats have sent scouts to check out the Bayer Leverkusen holding midfielder ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.
Sunderland have made a poor start to their Premier League campaign, picking up just two points from seven matches as they currently sit at the bottom of the table and two points from safety.
David Moyes’ men have struggled to keep clean sheets this term, and their failure to make last season’s loanee Yann M’Vila a permanent signing during the summer has evidently had an effect.
The Wearside club need to shore up their defensive ranks in January if they want to preserve their Premier League status, and Leverkusen’s Baumgartlinger is certainly an ideal option.
| Team | Tackles per Game | Interceptions per Game | Effective Clearances per Game | Accurate Passes per Game | Pass-accuracy | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julian Baumgartlinger | Mainz 05 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 48.2 | 83.5% | 31 |
As shown by the table provided above, the Austrian international shone for his old club Mainz last season and exceled in a number of key defensive categories.
Baumgartlinger averaged an impressive 3.7 tackles, 2.5 interceptions and 1.9 effective clearances per Bundesliga match last term while also averaging an 83.5% pass-accuracy rate.
The 28-year-old boasts plenty of experience and is renowned as a tough-tackling midfielder who likes to sit in-front of the back four and break up play – attributes Sunderland have been lacking this term.
The Black Cats do have the likes of Lee Cattermole and Jan Kirchhoff as defensive-minded midfielders, but there is no doubt it is an area of vulnerability and Baumgartlinger would prove a valuable addition.
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