The Sunderland January transfer Q&A: Striker latest, defender stance and Dan Neil rumours assessed

Sunderland are heading into the final week of the transfer window with some important business still to be done, both with incomings and outgoings.

In our weekly January transfer Q&A, Phil answers all the key questions and brings you up to speed….

Given Sunderland have missed out on both Tom Cannon and Ben Brereton Diaz, do you think they will bring in another forward this month? And are we being priced out of moves?

Yes, I still think they will though both of those names mentioned showed the challenge Sunderland face. Everyone wants to bring in proven strikers who are match fit and ready to hit the ground running - it’s a very small pool of players and so competition is intense. And undoubtedly, it’s easier for the teams with parachute payments to take greater financial risks. It was Sheffield United’s willingness to pay an up-front sum, believed to be in the region of £10 million, that put them ahead in the race for Cannon as Sunderland wanted an arrangement whereby the permanent deal would be triggered if they won promotion.

In fairness, it was pretty clear from early on in talks that Brereton Diaz preferred a move to Bramall Lane for personal reasons, so there’s not much Sunderland could have done in that scenario.

We’ve seen from the Enzo Le Fée deal that the club are being ambitious this month, but they don’t want to do anything that could hamper the club in future windows at the same time.

I don’t think it’s a great surprise that we’re seeing them now look to other markets for better value, with Matija Frigan one player they’ve been in talks over and Chuba Akpom the latest to be heavily linked.

I think Sunderland are quite open-minded in that they’re not necessarily looking for an out-and-out number nine given how well Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda are doing - though they'll sign one for sure if it’s the right player. The main thing is they want some more depth and some more pace, so it could be a more versatile player who also plays off the wing or as a second striker. I think they will make another signing, but there are no guarantees and to be fair, it’s not quite as urgent as it was in the last couple of January windows.

Is Rusyn likely to move on this month? Seems to be a lot of talk around a loan move.

He has been left out of the last two matchday squads, with Le Bris confirming after the Derby win that this was because he had been in advanced talks to leave the club. I’d expect he will probably leave on loan initially - as the best-case scenario is for him to play regularly between now and the end of the season and rebuild some confidence. Then all parties can make a considered decision as to whether he comes back into the first-team group, or whether Sunderland look to recoup some of the money they spent in a permanent deal. I’d be surprised if he didn’t leave before the window closes.

Have you been impressed with Le Fee in his first two appearances, where do you see his best position?

He’s done really well and been very unlucky not to get a couple of assists. You can see his quality in possession and how good he is at spotting those passes that most players can’t see in the final third. I fully expect in time he’ll play as a very attacking eight/ten, as one of the key reasons that Le Bris wanted to sign him was so that he could rotate his midfield more often than he was able to do in the first half of the season.

Chris Mepham injury concern - that then proved okay - was a worry, can they go into the second half of the season without additional defensive cover?

I think it’s something that they will be looking at. I think Le Bris is relatively happy at the moment that he has six players he really trusts for four positions, given that Luke O’Nien offers such dependability and versatility. But he’s made clear that if there was one more injury, then they’ll have next to no choice but to go back into the market. I don’t expect they’ll make any additional signings as things stand but they’ll definitely be doing some contingency planning.

What do you make of the policy of loan with obligation to buy if they win promotion, a risk or sound business sense?

It’s a risk in that as we discussed with Cannon, it potentially gives other clubs with deeper pockets an advantage in this window. But I find it hard to argue really, the last thing you want is for Sunderland to be tied into deals that don’t make sense in the long run and damage them in future windows. It’s a fine line between sensing the opportunity now and being realistic about not overextending.

Which other areas do you expect them to strengthen, if any?

Right now, I’m not convinced Sunderland are looking to strengthen any other areas. As explained, Le Bris is happy with his defensive options and with Alan Browne due to return to full training at some stage over the next week or so, central midfield is now an area where there are a lot of high-calibre players for the level.

Everton’s interest in Dan Neil seems genuine, would that be a concern this month if the money was right, now Le Fee has been signed as well?

It’s definitely a bit of a concern given that his contract situation remains unresolved, and he has now entered the last eighteen months of his deal. But as Le Bris explained so well in his press conference yesterday, the club has to be willing to sell in this window and the player has to want to leave. At the moment, there are no indications whatsoever that any of Sunderland’s key players want to leave. I think there’s an understanding and appreciation right across the board of just what a big opportunity to do something special. So there’s a bit of a worry in the long run, but not so much right now. At least at the moment.