The January transfer window is only a matter of days away from opening for business and Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray could be in the market to improve his squad.
He arrived at the Stadium of Light towards the end of the summer transfer window and that meant that he was unable to have a big say in the recruitment that took place ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The former Blackburn Rovers coach will now be able to work hand-in-hand with Kristjaan Speakman to identify targets to bolster the team heading into the second half of the season.
One position that the club could need to recruit a player in is central midfield after Elliot Embleton suffered an ankle fracture and ligament damage, which is set to keep him out in the ‘long term‘.
The academy graduate had featured in all 23 league matches, starting 13, this season before picking up his injury and this shows that he has been an important player for Mowbray.
Embleton, who was once described as a “nightmare” to play against by Lee Cattermole, has chipped in with two goals and two assists from the middle of the park in the Championship and Sunderland could use the January window to sign a replacement for the gem.
The Sun reported, back in November, that the Black Cats are interested in a deal to snap Bradley Dack up from Blackburn and he could come in to fill the void left by this latest injury blow.
He is a similar player to Embleton, positionally, as he can play as a number eight, as a 10, or out wide and this means that he could slot straight into the squad as a like-for-like replacement.
Mowbray, who once dubbed the 28-year-old’s love for the game as “amazing to watch“, worked with the gem at Ewood Park and managed to get the best out of the playmaker.
In 150 games under the current Sunderland manager, Dack produced 50 goals and 26 assists from midfield and this shows that he has the quality to be a match-winner from the middle of the park as he is capable of scoring and creating goals.
The Blackburn maestro is a proven Championship performer, with over 100 appearances in the competition, and his pre-existing relationship with Mowbray indicates that he could hit the ground running at the Stadium of Light.
This means that he could be the perfect signing to replace Embleton as he would not need time to adjust to the standard of football or the manager’s tactics, which is why Speakman must now work hard to get a deal over the line for the ex-Gillingham man.
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