'Open to': Kristjaan Speakman drops hint on Ellis Simms future after Everton recall

Simms was surprisingly recalled by struggling Everton on the eve of the January transfer window having scored seven times across seventeen appearances in the first half of the season.

Having been introduced as a late substitute during the 4-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week, Simms now cannot go out on loan to another club in the current campaign.

As such, Sunderland are his only possible destination if Everton bring in further players in their bid to beat the drop.

Sunderland are faced with a difficult conundrum as Ross Stewart is currently their only available striker - and Tony Mowbray has already said that they will have to try and strengthen regardless of Simms' situation.

"I think when you've got loan players in your squad you have to those contingency plans in case something like this occurs," Speakman told safc.com.

"We've had those in place in operation for the first half of the season and we've now got to make the right choices so that our squad is as strong as it was going into January, if not stronger.

"It's obviously disappointing, I think Ellis really, really enjoyed his time here. Speaking to him it was strange because I think he was bitterly disappointed to be going back but he is also going back to participate in a Premier League team. We're really pleased because he came here when he had options elsewhere and bought into everything about the club, and he's enjoyed the behind-the-scenes work to develop his game. I think he respects that.

"If there's an opportunity for Ellis to come back we're open to that, and now that he's played for Everton [against Brighton] through the two-club rule he can only play for either them or us moving forward this season.

"It's going to be an interesting conversation maybe at some point in January on whether that's a possibility."

Mowbray revealed last week that the club were looking at another loan option as well as possibly bringing in a young striker on a permanent deal to help support Stewart and replace Simms.