What Sam Surridge would offer Sunderland and how Nottingham Forest striker compares to Ellis Simms

The Black Cats are looking to sign two strikers this month, after Ellis Simms was abruptly recalled from his loan spell on Wearside by Everton.

Simms scored seven goals in 17 appearances for Sunderland, despite being sidelined for over a month with a foot injury, providing a reliable back-up option for Ross Stewart while also performing well alongside the Scot

So would Surridge be the right replacement?

Burnley are also said to be interested in signing the Forest striker on loan, with the 24-year-old looking increasingly likely to leave the City Ground this month.

Surridge has made just 10 Premier League appearances this campaign, yet he did play a key part in Forest’s promotion to the top flight.

After signing for Steve Cooper’s side from Stoke in January, the forward scored seven times in 20 Championship appearances – including three play-off matches.

That is a similar record and sample size to Simms’ spell at Sunderland, and there are more parallels between the two frontman.

For starters, both are a similar height at 6 ft 3, while most of their attacking stats are in the same ballpark.

In the Championship last season - including 20 appearances for Stoke in the first half of the campaign where he scored twice - Surridge averaged 2.76 shots per game with a 53.3% of them hitting the target, according to Wyscout.

Simms, in comparison, averaged 2.14 shots per game at Sunderland with a 34.5% accuracy.

Interestingly, Surridge is a player who spends more time in the opposition’s box, as shown by his heatmap for the 2021/22 season.

During the last campaign Surridge averaged 4.56 touches in the opposition’s penalty area per match, compared to Simms’ 3.31 while playing for Sunderland.

Simms therefore showed he was more likely to drop deeper and link up play, receiving 10.53 passes per match this season, compared to Surridge’s 9.76 during the last campaign.

It is, though, worth looking at Surridge’s role in Forest’s promotion-winning side, as he often played up front with Wales international Brennan Johnson in a variation of a 3-4-1-2 system.

Johnson, while he also contributed with 18 Championship goals last term, would therefore be more likely to make runs into wide areas or become more involved in Forest’s build-up play.

At Sunderland, while they showed signs of forming an effective partnership, Simms and Stewart only started six matches together, with Simms often asked to lead the line by himself.

On those occasions, the Everton striker appeared more aware of his responsibilities hold the ball up and relieve pressure on his side.

Yet when Stewart and Simms were paired together, it was the latter who made more runs into the channels and has been more comfortable linking up play.

Surridge therefore seems like a player who could become an effective strike partner for Stewart, or someone who could lead the line in the Scot’s absence.

The Nottingham Forest man did play as a lone striker during the 2019/20 campaign while on loan at Swansea so could also fill that role too.

While Simms’ departure has left Sunderland weaker, Surridge appears to represent a ready-made replacement – if the Black Cats can sign him.