Squad size has cost Sunderland this season, adding versatile 28-year-old would be a smart capture for Mowbray: Opinion | OneFootball

It has been a frustrating past month or two for Sunderland, with one win in seven games effectively ending any chance they had of finishing in the play-off places.

Whilst progress has undoubtedly been made under the current ownership, there will be a frustration that they haven’t managed to last the distance this season, as there is a lot of quality in Tony Mowbray’s squad, and they had put themselves in a good position to reach the top six.

In fairness, injuries didn’t help, with Ross Stewart’s absence the biggest setback, but they’ve been light in other areas too, notably central midfield and left-back. Therefore, there’s sure to be a little regret from the recruitment team that they didn’t bolster the squad that bit more in January.

So, that’s something they will surely address in the summer, and one man who would be the ideal addition for the Black Cats is Ben Osborn.

Currently with Sheffield United, the 28-year-old has featured in 20 games this season to help the side to second in the table, with injuries keeping him out at other times, including at the moment.

Yet, the majority of those appearances came from the bench, and with his deal expiring in the summer, it does seem as though Osborn will be available on a free transfer. That will obviously appeal to Sunderland, as whilst they are willing to spend money, you still need to search for bargains and the former Nottingham Forest man would fall into that category due to his contract status.

Crucially though, he is a good player who has shown over the years that he can play well in a few positions. Whether it’s in the middle of the park, from the left, or even left-back, Osborn is the sort of reliable figure that a manager will love.

Furthermore, he’s a technically capable footballer, so he will be able to fit easily into the style of play that Mowbray wants, and he will do the hard yards in terms of putting in a shift.

This isn’t the sort of eye-catching signing that will get fans too excited, but Sunderland have learnt the hard way this season that you need to have a competitive squad to be able to cope with the Championship if you want to win promotion.

So, bringing in Osborn, someone who can cover a few positions, would be a smart move that should ensure Sunderland don’t fall away again in 12 months time.