Why Sunderland signed Bradley Dack after Blackburn release and what fans can expect following free transfer

After Sunderland’s Championship fixture at Blackburn in October last year, Tony Mowbray and Bradley Dack had a lengthy chat by the Ewood Park tunnel.

Mowbray’s Sunderland side had just been beaten 2-0, yet Dack hadn’t even been named in the Rovers squad after returning from a second ACL injury - which occurred 15 months after his first.

The playmaker was adamant he was ready to make a significant impact again under new head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson, insisting his physical stats were the best they had ever been.

Mowbray, who was in charge at Blackburn when they signed Dack in 2017, told his former player to remain patient following a frustrating start to the campaign.

Dack would finish the 2022/23 season with four goals in 27 Championship appearances, before his contract expired in June.

That allowed Sunderland to offer the 29-year-old a one-year deal, with a club option of a further year, on Wearside, with Mowbray’s position at the Stadium of Light a decisive factor.

So can the Black Cats boss get the best out of Dack once again?

His stats at Blackburn before the injury setbacks were certainly impressive, with Dack scoring 18 goals and providing nine assists in 42 League One appearances as Rovers were promoted during the 2017/18 season.

The player then chipped in with 15 goals and seven assists in 42 Championship appearances the following year, predominantly operating as a No 10 in a 4-2-3-1 system.

All of Dack’s 15 goals that season came from inside the penalty area, highlighting the player’s ability to ghost into the box and pose a significant goal threat.

That season Dack was ranked sixth in the Championship for expected goals and assists (according to Wyscout), while averaging 2.69 shots per 90 minutes.

The player’s numbers have understandably dropped since his first ACL injury in December 2019, when he had maintained his impressive form to score nine goals in 22 Championship matches in the first half of the campaign.

Last season was the closest Dack has had to having a full campaign since the setbacks, after returning to competitive action in 2022.

When Dack did get a run of 10 successive league starts for Rovers after last year’s World Cup break, he was predominantly used as a No 10 in a 4-2-3-1 system again, with all four of his league goals coming in that spell.

Dack would then suffer another injury setback after picking up a hamstring issue in February, meaning he didn’t start another fixture for the rest of the season.

Yet Mowbray will be well aware of Dack’s qualities and how to utilise them.

Sunderland will also have to replace the 13 league goals which Amad scored last term - if they are to mount another play-off challenge.

Dack may not score as many long-range stunners as the Manchester United man, yet he’s certainly demonstrated an eye for goal.

Sunderland fans will hope the 29-year-old can rediscover that goalscoring prowess under a head coach who has seen it first hand.