Sunderland are still crying out for a deadly striker to lead the line, Michael Beale opting to start Alex Pritchard and Jobe Bellingham up top as a makeshift attacking duo away at Ipswich Town in a bid to try and awaken any ice-cold finisher in his ranks away from the likes of Nazariy Rusyn at his disposal.
Usual Black Cats suspect Jack Clarke bailed the patchy Wearside outfit on their travels down to Suffolk, but the star 23-year-old winger’s strike at Portman Road wasn’t enough as Kieran McKenna’s men mounted a comeback on their own patch to win 2-1.
Sunderland could well turn their attention to this transfer target now to try and add some positive reinforcements in the striker position at the club, Beale drafting up a list of attackers to go after who could make a potential difference.
Sunderland’s search for a new striker
The stuttering Championship promotion candidates are still keen on adding Kieffer Moore to their squad this January, but the ongoing transfer saga with the Welshman is still no nearer to its conclusion.
With the end of the transfer window gradually coming into view, the Black Cats could well look to alternatives away from the current AFC Bournemouth man and Sam Gallagher is a name that keeps popping up.
Football journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, disclosed that Beale’s men – alongside Ipswich – were keen on adding injury-prone Blackburn Rovers striker Gallagher to their ranks this month.
Sunderland could well need to show more intent in going after Gallagher though with the Tractor Boys, according to football journalist Nick Mashiter, having two bids of £1m and £1.5m rejected in recent times for the in-demand Blackburn forward.
The experienced 28-year-old centre-forward – who has also been on the books at Southampton and Birmingham City across his varied career – has only made six appearances for the Riversiders in the second tier this campaign but could still prove himself to be a smart buy if he can get over recurring injury hurdles in his way.
How Gallagher would fit into the Sunderland team
Scoring 48 goals in the Championship to date, Gallagher could well act as a focal point for Sunderland up top as a targetman-style forward who can play others into the game and help when needed with a goal here or there.
Never really showing himself to be a striker who bags goals for fun – 11 goals for Blackburn during the 2016-17 campaign proving to still be his most impactful season in front of goal – the lofty 6 foot 4 striker could come out of his shell at Sunderland surrounded by the likes of creative machines in Jack Clarke and Alex Pritchard teeing him up for chances.
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Gallagher’s goal record in the Championship (for Blackburn) |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
23/24 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
|
22/23 |
34 |
7 |
2 |
|
21/22 |
37 |
9 |
3 |
|
20/21 |
39 |
8 |
5 |
|
19/20 |
42 |
6 |
4 |
|
16/17 |
43 |
11 |
3 |
|
Stats by Transfermarkt |
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The injury-plagued number nine’s only goal of the season to date came from just 19 touches of the ball against Hull City at the very start of this campaign, missing a further big chance in the contest in a bright but brief spell on the Ewood Park pitch for the towering attacker.
Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has also praised Gallagher for his “great attitude” behind the scenes at the club despite injury issues constantly troubling the striker, a clearly popular figure at the Lancashire club who would be sorely missed if sold this January. He’s coincidentally also a player that former Mackems boss Tony Mowbray rates highly too.
Tony Mowbray thinks Gallagher is a ‘monster’
Speaking about the forward in 2022 when he was at Rovers, only praise was reserved: “I’m always encouraging him to hit it because when you watch it in training it’s like a bazooka, his right foot. It’s a great strike. Gallagher is fast, strong, good in the air, rocket in his right foot. He has all the attributes to be a top player.
“
His ambition has to be to get to the Premier League, hopefully with this club, but if not, the Premier League look at this monster of a boy who can run like the wind with a rocket in his boots, why can’t he play in the Premier League?”
Beale certainly needs to add more firepower to his toothless Sunderland forward positions in this window and a deal for Gallagher – whose contract is nearing towards its end at Ewood Park – could well be a shrewd and unflashy buy if a move on the table for Moore goes nowhere.