[ad_1]
Sunderland could be set to lose one of their first-team stars next month, with a fresh report revealing that he’s emerged as a target for three clubs in the Premier League.
Sunderland’s recent departures
The Black Cats sanctioned the sales of 10 players during the previous transfer window, with seven of those leaving on a permanent basis, while the remaining three were sent out on loan for the rest of the season to increase their experience and game time.
The Championship side have Alex Pritchard, Bradley Dack, Corry Evans, Ellis Taylor and Jack Diamond who will have all reached the expiration of their deals at the end of the campaign, so they could also be heading for the exit door in 2024 (Sunderland contracts).
Related
“Talks…” – Significant progress made in Sunderland manager search
Are the Black Cats closing in on their next boss?
Back in January, Pierre Ekwah joined the club from Premier League side West Ham and the defensive midfielder has since gone on to make 34 senior appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Ekwah statistics), and he’s spoken about how much he’s loving life.
“I think it’s a really good place to develop as you can see. They gave me trust and I’m the one who gives it my all on the pitch and gives it back to them at the same time. As a team we have a thing going on and I really like this place, definitely.
“I feel good here, that’s why I’m still here and you can see that. I’m definitely pushing through to get Sunderland where they need to be.”
Ekwah attracting significant interest
According to TEAMtalk, however, Ekwah is of interest to a trio of admirers in the top flight, so there’s a chance that he could be tempted to leave the northeast and start a new adventure elsewhere in January.
“Sunderland starlet Pierre Ekwah could be set for a quick return to the Premier League with Fulham, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest showing interest, TEAMtalk can reveal. It is believed Ekwah, who has represented France at youth level, moved for a nominal fee but West Ham would be due a sizeable sell-on fee.”
Sunderland need to keep “outstanding” Ekwah
In the Championship this season, Ekwah has been averaging an 86.1% pass success rate and 1.6 tackles per game, representing that he is not only calm and composed in possession, but that he also loves to get stuck into challenges to try and win the ball back for his team (WhoScored – Ekwah statistics).
The Frenchman is even capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 21 contributions (16 goals and five assists) from 106 appearances since the start of his career, showing how much of a well-rounded player he is.
Despite the fact he’s still in his first year at Sunderland, Josh Bunting has hailed Ekwah an “outstanding” maestro in the centre of the park and even the thought of losing him is a blow, so the board may want to do everything they can to retain his services beyond January.
[ad_2]
Source link