Sunderland and Ipswich could look to snatch Bristol City and QPR target as Kieffer Moore alternative: View | OneFootball

Highlights

Sunderland and Ipswich Town are both in search of a striker this January, with the Black Cats' struggles up top well documented, and Ipswich losing George Hirst to injury recently.

The battle to sign AFC Bournemouth striker Kieffer Moore in January is going to be hotly contested, with both sides currently in the race, but Cardiff City are the front-runners currently. They have been handed a boost after the player's stance was revealed.

Going back to the summer transfer window, Moore was wanted by teams in the second division of English football. One of those main contenders to sign him were Cardiff, and they made no attempt to hide their interest, according to Wales Online.

Moore's current club have played 20 games so far in the Premier League, during the 2023/24 campaign. Moore has featured in just seven of them, and he hasn't started any for the Cherries this season, so a move away is likely.

The race for Kieffer Moore in the Championship

Darren Witcoop, the Sports News Editor for the Sunday Mirror, has said that up to seven second tier sides want to bring in the Welsh striker in January. As well as his former side, four other clubs are believed to be interested: Sunderland, Leeds United, Ipswich Town, and Norwich City, according to Witcoop.

The Sun's Alan Nixon had recently reported that Sunderland are the team that currently lead the race to sign the 31-year-old. However, Witcoop believes the Welsh international is favouring a return to the Bluebirds.

Moore originally joined the South Wales outfit in the summer of 2020, and was a major success for the club. He scored 20 goals in 42 league games, and was eventually sold to Bournemouth on the final day of the January window. The striker has been prolific at this level previously, which makes it no surprise that there is plenty of interest.

Ipswich and Sunderland's transfer dilemma

Sunderland's interest in Moore is just one centre-forward on their shortlist, with their recent interest in Birmingham City striker Jay Stansfield well documented as well. Ipswich have also been linked to the Fulham loanee extensively in the last few months.

However, he chose a loan move to the midlands, rather than the Stadium of Light or Suffolk, due to geographical reasons, as per Chronicle Live. He looks set to stay, which leaves both short of options in attack and in need of a solution this January; but one player could be an alternative to Stansfield and Moore, who has emerged as a target for other second tier sides.

QPR and Bristol City are interested in a January transfer deal for another Fulham striker, in the form of Rodrigo Muniz, according to Witcoop, who claims that the Championship duo have both made enquiries about the Brazilian.

After scoring five goals in 25 league games to help the Cottagers win promotion from the Championship to the Premier League during his first season with the club, Muniz then returned to the second-tier last season.

That move saw the striker link-up with Middlesbrough on a season-long loan, where he scored just twice in 17 appearances in all competitions. However, despite not being as tall or robust, he profiles fairly similarly to Moore in terms of being a focal point striker who can lead the line and get his side up the pitch.

The 22-year-old has now found himself in and out of Marco Silva's side during the current Premier League campaign and is at a crucial age for his development, with regular game time needed.

It is thought that the two Championship clubs have both asked about whether the striker is available in January. However, Ipswich and Sunderland should also join the race and attempt to hijack any move from Millwall or Bristol City.

They are sides higher up the league but equally in need of more firepower up top, which could put them ahead in the race to sign a player of that ilk. Muniz is in demand but, crucially, he is available and perhaps easier to secure than Moore, should either side wish to get themselves involved in any deal for the Fulham striker.

He has enough speed and height to be a lone striker, whilst he has shown signs of being a good finisher in glimpses, but needs the right environment to get more out of him in that regard, and could thrive in attacking sides such as Sunderland or Ipswich, who Fulham would naturally prefer to send him to, for that very reason.