Sunderland eye triple January transfer swoop amid Dan Neil and Patrick Roberts claims - round-up

Sunderland are willing to greenlight Patrick Roberts’ permanent exit from the club this month, according to reports.

The popular winger is currently out on loan at Championship outfit Birmingham City, and has made a positive impression during his first few months in the Midlands, registering two goals and four assists across 21 league outings.

Indeed, Roberts has impressed to such an extent that various updates in recent days have hinted towards the prospect of the Blues seeking a permanent agreement for his services this month.

Firstly, The Telegraph reported that Birmingham had opened talks with Sunderland over a potential deal, and then head coach Chris Davies intimated at his eagerness to wrap up a transfer in a recent press conference. As quoted by BBC Radio WM, he said: “There's not many with more quality than him in the Championship, but he puts a shift in. I know the club are talking a lot to him around how he's feeling here and how it's going. I think he's been a really good loan signing for us so we'll see where we can go with that.”

And in a further update on the ongoing situation, online outlet Football Insider have weighed in to claim that Sunderland would be willing to sanction Roberts’ departure over the coming weeks. It is stated that the Black Cats are set to forego the option of a year-long extension in Roberts’ contract on Wearside so that they can instead cash in on him now.

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Sunderland’s January plans outlined

Elsewhere, a report from The i Paper suggests that Sunderland could look to bring in up to three attacking signings this January, and could also bid farewell to a couple of established names at the Stadium of Light.

In terms of incomings, it is claimed that the Black Cats are expected to be on the hunt for a right winger and a central midfielder, and could also look to utilise the loan market in an effort to secure suitable targets. This latest update also states that Regis Le Bris’ men were one of several clubs to have expressed an interest in Wales international Brennan Johnson before he completed a £35 million move from Tottenham Hotspur to Crystal Palace, providing some kind of insight into the level of funding that could be available should the right recruitment opportunity present itself.

With regards to possible departures, the piece highlights Championship interest in defensive stalwart Luke O’Nien, while also noting the uncertainty surrounding last season’s captain Dan Neil. The 24-year-old is yet to put pen to paper on a new contract, and has struggled for minutes this term, with his situation purportedly alerting a number of Premier League and second tier suitors.

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