Sunderland keeping tabs on Spain-based striker ahead of January transfer window | OneFootball

Sunderland may not have a head coach right now, but that will not stop the recruitment team from pressing ahead with plans for the upcoming January transfer window.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus are on the hunt for Tony Mowbray's successor following his surprise departure on Monday, with the strong likelihood that a younger, overseas coach will be coming in to take the Black Cats forward.

Unlike Mowbray, who seemed to be critical of the Wearsiders' transfer policy recently of bringing in young, hungry players and somewhat leaving the signing of experienced professionals to the side, the 60-year-old's successor will need to be on-board with the recruitment being done above them, leaving Speakman and the recruitment staff to bring in the new individuals.

And it already looks as though Sunderland are eyeing up bolstering their attacking unit once more in the mid-season window, which will come after they signed four strikers - Nazariy Rusyn, Luis Semedo, Mason Burstow and Eliezer Mayenda - over the summer.

The foursome are still yet to find the back of the net for Sunderland however, and it is no surprise that reports have been emerging that other forwards are being scouted ahead of January.

And according to a report from Sports Illustrated's Sunderland reporter Michael Graham, the Black Cats are keeping tabs on Sevilla striker Musa Drammeh as they look set to bolster their options.

Who is Musa Drammeh?

Drammeh is a 22-year-old Gambian attacker who was born in Spain and has not played above the third tier of Spanish football, with a debut for Sevilla's first-team yet to arrive.

The forward joined the La Liga giants in January 2022 and was immediately placed in their reserve side - Sevilla Atletico - where he made a handful of appearances in his first half-season.

Sevilla's reserves were relegated to the fourth tier for the 2022-23 season, and despite being an attacker, Drammeh only scored once in 23 appearances, with a lot of those coming from the bench.

The Gambian has showed improvements in the current campaign though, scoring five times and assisting a further two goals in 13 appearances, but despite being a natural striker, he has played all of his football this season on the right wing.

Will Musa Drammeh solve Sunderland's scoring issues?

Drammeh's contract expires at Sevilla in the summer of 2024, so he could be available on a pre-contract basis in January - the fact he has never played above the third tier of Spanish football though and his current form is at the level below suggests that it would be tough for him to make an immediate impact at the Stadium of Light.

It does not look like Drammeh would be the answer to Sunderland's current issues at the top end of the pitch, but he certainly fits the bill when it comes to the kind of criteria the club are looking for in new signings.

If Drammeh were to be a Sunderland addition in January, then they'd need more than him to bring goals to the ranks of the new head coach.