Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips has this advice for summer 'target'

And Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips has some words of advice for the 23-year-old striker.

Yates scored 14 goals in 36 appearances for Swindon Town last season in League Two.

Would it prove too much of a jump up in class, moving into a League One side on a regular basis? Phillips doesn’t think so.

“I do not think it is a huge jump.

“There is always a slight concern jumping up a league. I had it when I jumped from the Championship to the Premier League and I did not struggle.

“Sunderland will do their homework and they will not make a move unless they believed he was up to it. They will do their background checks and they will analyse videos until they are blue in the face.

“At Sunderland he would be playing with a better class of players and get more chances.

“The kid knows where the back of the net is so it could turn out to be a real good signing.

“Look at me when I went to Sunderland. No one had heard of me but I did not turn out too bad! It would be a slight gamble but quite possibly a chance worth taking,” Phillips told Football Insider.

Sunderland face a third season in League One after the 2019-20 was ended with the Black Cats sitting outside the play-off places.