Kevin Phillips predicts January exit for Sunderland star amidst Doncaster Rovers interest

That’s after the transfer window deadline passed last week.

Jack Diamond headed out on loan to former club Harrogate Town in League Two as Will Grigg departed to join Rotherham United.

Both deals will see the pair stay at their respective clubs until the end of the season.

Grigg is likely to have played his last game for Sunderland with his contract up in the summer.

The Black Cats, though, were able to get two deals over the line with Leon Dajaku and Ron-Thorbert Hoffmann joining on season-long loans with options to make the deals permanent at the end of the season.

Here, though, we take you through some of the more interesting Sunderland-related stories from around the web:

Kevin Phillips offers opinion on Aiden O’Brien transfer story

Ex-striker Kevin Phillips has offered his opinion on Aiden O’Brien’s failed deadline day loan switch to Doncaster Rovers.

Rovers reportedly missed out on the last gasp signing of O’Brien on transfer deadline day due to an error in the paperwork from the parent club.

That’s according to the Sunderland Echo’s sister publication, the Doncaster Free Press.

The Free Press state that Rovers had agreed a loan move for Sunderland forward Aiden O’Brien and were confident of seeing the deal completed with two hours of the transfer window remaining.

The newspaper claims that Sunderland sent the wrong form for O’Brien to sign in order to process the move.

By the time the issue had been corrected, the deadline for the submission of the correct paperwork had passed.

I am surprised to hear that, to be honest.” he told Football Insider.

“This season you want people in your squad who know where the back of the net is.

“There will be times where Ross Stewart is suspended or injured this season and in O’Brien you have a player who knows League One.”

“He scored a great hat-trick in the cup and he knows where the back of the net is. That’s why I’m surprised they would consider allowing him to leave on loan. He has that experience.

“Luckily it has not happened but perhaps there will be some movement in January. We will have to watch this space.”

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