Sunderland 'linked' with highly-rated 21-year-old Chelsea attacking midfielder ahead of transfer window

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Sunderland have been linked with a 21-year-old attacking midfielder ahead of the transfer window

Sunderland have been linked with a deal for Chelsea attacking midfielder Harvey Vale.

The 21-year-old England youth international can also play at full-back and wing-back. Vale made 39 apps at Bristol Rovers in League One last season and scored two goals. During the 2022-23 campaign, the player was sent on loan to Hull City but only made two appearances in the Championship.

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Vale is yet to make his Premier League debut for Chelsea but has appeared twice in the UEFA Conference League under Enzo Maresca this season. Transfer insider Ben Jacobs wrote on social media: “ Understand Harvey Vale is attracting interest from Anderlecht, Heerenveen and Sunderland. Alfie Gilchrist also has suitors for January but the expectation is he remains at Sheffield United on loan until summer.”

Sunderland are thought to be in the market for one or two quality loan additions during the January transfer window, with injuries starting to catch up with Régis Le Bris’ squad.

"We have done a lot of work on the profiles I like as a head coach and how I can define this for each position," Le Bris said on the club's preparations for the window at the beginning of December.

"So it was a question of sharing these ideas and discussing them. We shared this with the recruitment staff and the coaching staff, and discussed how we can combine these different points of view to ensure we are really connected.

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"Now we will have different profiles to assess. It is easy to find our weakest position right now but things can change, so it will be more intense [closer to the window]. But our thoughts on these [initial] profiles are very clear.

"Probably [final third a priority]. We have many competitive players in the back four, goalkeepers we have no problem. Midfielders it depends on who is available but if everyone is available we don't have many problems. it is probably at the top of the pitch that we have something to expect."

Sunderland are next in action against Stoke City this coming Sunday after the Boxing Day draw versus Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

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