Beating West Brom and Rangers in race for free agent is move that Sunderland should avoid: Opinion | OneFootball

The international break will offer Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray a chance to take stock of the players available to him at the Stadium of Light but the experienced coach would do well to avoid the temptation of signing free agent midfielder Fabian Delph.

Last week, Football League World exclusively revealed that the Black Cats were among the sides taking an interest in the 32-year-old, who is a free agent after leaving Everton in the summer.

The Championship is thought to be the likely next step for the England international with Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Reading among the clubs keen on him while Scottish giants Rangers have also been linked.

There is no denying Delph’s experience and top-flight pedigree. The midfielder may have been little more than a bit-part player at Goodison Park last season but he was a quality operator in the top flight for more than a decade and has 20 international caps to his name.

The truth of the matter is that if a Championship side can help the former Manchester City player get back to his best, they will have added a real asset to their squad but even so, it’s not a move that the Black Cats need to make and is one they should look to avoid.

Firstly, Mowbray is well stocked in that area of the pitch. Corry Evans and Dan Neil have both started the season impressively while Luke O’Nien is a reliable option and the likes of Jay Matete and Abdoullah Ba are players with bright futures.

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There has been little to suggest in the first 10 games of the season that Sunderland need to strengthen in holding midfield. In fact, any fan of the North East club will tell you that if they’re to dip into the free agent market it should be to sign a striker or a more experienced backup goalkeeper.

Delph, who has been on sizeable Premier League salaries for the majority of his career, is not going to come cheap and so signing him to add some fairly unnecessary additional depth would seem a waste of resources.

On top of that, his arrival could block the development of the likes of Neil, Matete, and Ba, who will all benefit greatly from first team minutes this season. The trio are all midfielders with exciting futures and signing the 32-year-old could prove to be a hindrance for them.

When a player of Delph’s quality is available as a free agent it is natural to be tempted but Sunderland should avoid following up on their interest.