Southampton boss issues blunt 17-word update on future of Leeds United and Sunderland 'target'
Sunderland and their promotion rivals are looking to strengthen their squad before the end of the transfer window
Southampton boss Ivan Juric has all but ruled out a departure for striker Cameron Archer before the transfer deadline on Monday evening.
Leeds United have made a bid for the 23-year-old, hoping to strike an initial loan deal as they search for extra firepower in the hunt for automatic promotion. Reports yesterday suggested that Sunderland are also monitoring the situation in their own search for another forward who can give them an extra clinical edge.
Southampton rebuffed Leeds United's initial offer and it now seems likely that a move for either club will not progress.
"I don't think something will happen," Juric told The Daily Echo.
'He will stay with us and we will work with him."
Speaking yesterday, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke confirmed that his club were not close to any deals and were prepared to move into the final stage of the campaign with no new additions if the right player is not available.
“I’ve been quite open with the whole situation - I'm not a big friend of the January window,” Farke said.
“Options are limited or overpriced.You always need to do something if you have injuries. If you are top of the league and have a really good season. To improve a team playing such a good season, bringing someone in could be risky. We will stay awake for the last hour of the window. We will do something if all boxes are ticked. This group is top of the league after 29 games. We need players who have the right quality, character and is affordable. If not, then we stick with what we've got.”
Sunderland are monitoring other forward targets as they bid to add another player to their squad before the deadline at 11pm on Monday. That player won’t be Chuba Akpom, with Lille moving into pole position to sign the Ajax forward this week. Sunderland have long been prepared for missing out on the 29-year-old and have been actively working on alternative deals.
Speaking last week, head coach Régis Le Bris said: “Probably we still need some more vertical threats, players who could run in behind. This could be a striker but also a winger, maybe a versatile player. So this is still very much in our mind, but we will see what comes in these next weeks. But it is not necessarily about a number nine.”
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