Sunderland have made a fantastic start to the 2023/24 season and are still in contention for a play-off spot for the second season in a row.
Despite their 4-0 loss to Middlesbrough last time out, the Black Cats are fourth after 11 games, nine points behind second-placed Ipswich Town.
Tony Mowbray’s side fell in the play-off semi-finals to Luton Town last season and will now be trying to go one better and gain promotion to the Premier League next season.
Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman spent the summer transfer window bolstering the manager’s squad in an attempt to improve the club’s chances of success.
Jenson Seelt, Jobe Bellingham, Nectarios Triantis, Eliezer Mayenda, Luis Semedo, Bradley Dack, Timothee Pembele, Adil Aouchiche, Mason Burstow, Nazariy Rusyn, and Nathan Bishop have all been signed on long-term contracts or on loan.
Their current fourth-placed position indicates that the club’s business has had the right effect thus far, but they are apparently considering another acquisition ahead of the January transfer window.
What’s the latest on Amad Diallo to Sunderland?
TEAMtalk recently revealed that the Black Cats are planning a move to bring the Manchester United youngster back to the Stadium of Light at the start of next year.
According to the source, the former Atalanta prodigy’s summer escape from Old Trafford was ruled out due to a knee injury acquired during pre-season.
However, the brilliant youngster is now set to leave the Premier League club, and Sunderland are aiming to win a loan contract for his talents for the second half of the 2023/24 season.
It is also said that the Red Devils are willing to authorize a loan move for the ex-Rangers loanee, implying that he is not in Erik ten Hag’s immediate first-team plans at this time.
According to TEAMtalk, Speakman and Mowbray are certain that he will be able to return to Wearside for a second period after his great efforts for the club last season.
However, it remains to be seen how many other teams would be interested in signing Diallo and what level of football he could play instead of sliding back down to the Championship, which means that the young ace’s return to the red and white is far from inevitable.
How many goals did Diallo score for Sunderland?
The 21-year-old striker scored 14 goals in all competitions for the Black Cats during his loan spell under Mowbray in 2022/23.
Sunderland were able to get the most out of the United loanee, as he scored the most goals in a single season in his first-team career to date.
He joined at the Stadium of Light after a disappointing spell with Rangers in Scotland. Diallo scored three goals and had 0 assists in 13 games with the Light Blues.
Despite his lack of form for the Scottish giants, the Black Cats gambled on the 5 foot 8 teenager, and it was a move that surely paid off for the English team.
Diallo went on to have a fantastic season with the club last season, earning a nomination for the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award, which was eventually won by Bristol City’s Alex Scott.
The Ivory Coast international, whose potential was described as “exceptional” by journalist Josh Bunting, scored 14 goals and assisted three times in 29 league appearances for Sunderland, making him the club’s leading scorer for the 2022/23 season – four more than any of his teammates.
Last season, he was among the top five Black Cats performers in terms of shots taken (1.9), opportunities created (one), and dribbles completed (1.9) per match, demonstrating how essential he was in all elements of the attacking set-up.
How many goals has Jack Clarke scored this season?
By signing Diallo in January, Speakman might guarantee a perfect partner for Sunderland’s current top-scorer Clarke, who has seven league goals.
The 22-year-old prodigy is the Championship’s joint-top scorer this season, with 2.1 critical passes and three ‘big chances’ generated in 11 outings.
His outstanding play this season follows a return of nine goals and 12 assists – five more than any of his colleagues – in 46 starts during the 2022/23 season.
These statistics suggest that the former Tottenham Hotspur star has the ability to provide goals and assists on a consistent basis at this level, making him a big threat to opposing teams.
At this level, the English dynamo knows how to create chances for his teammates on a weekly basis, and the Manchester United teenager has the finishing ability to capitalize on them.
Should Sunderland sign Diallo?
since a result, the Black Cats must sign Diallo in January, since he has the potential to form a terrifying partnership with Clarke at the top of the pitch, causing continual issues for opposing defenses.
He played the most of his games for the club as a right winger last season and, as previously stated, was Sunderland’s leading scorer with 14 goals.
In comparison, Mowbray’s current right winger, Patrick Roberts, has yet to score or assist in nine Championship games this season.
Clarke has generated 23 chances and three ‘big chances’ for his teammates, but Roberts has unable to capitalize on the gifted whiz’s ingenuity on the flank.
The former Manchester City attacker has now missed three ‘big opportunities’ this season and has not provided the Black Cats with any clear danger at the top of the pitch.
This is why Sunderland must sign Diallo, a £29k-per-week wizard who has already demonstrated his ability to score goals at an outstanding rate for the club at this level.
He could thus return to the side under the same manager and with many of the same teammates, including Clarke, and re-form his lethal combination on the flanks with the former Spurs youth for the second half of the season.
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