Sunderland: Nazariy Rusyn transfer twist emerges after exit claims | OneFootball

Sunderland have no plans to let striker Nazariy Rusyn leave in the summer, after links between him and a return to Ukraine were made.

The number nine position has been a real source of issues for Sunderland this season. Their pursuit of a more youthful goalscorer in the summer set them behind right at the start of the season, and, in the end, they weren't able to make up the lost ground.

Rusyn and Chelsea loanee Mason Burstow were the club's most natural options to play the position, although teenager Jobe Bellingham did fill in on occasion.

Former interim head coach Mike Dodds has said that Bellingham has been considered by the coaching staff as being one of the possible striker options for next season.

Dodds has set him the target of reaching double-digit goals next season, but he also added that he wants the 18-year-old to nail down a position, wherever that may be on the pitch, as per the Northern Echo.

At the moment, though, it is only Rusyn that the club have as a true striker, but questions over his future with the club were asked recently.

Ukranian outlet Sport Arena reported that the forward wanted a return to his home country, just a year on from joining the Black Cats.

Now, some more light has been shed on Rusyn's situation as the summer window approaches.

Nazariy Rusyn expected to stay at Sunderland

Despite previous reports of the 25-year-old's potential exit from the Stadium of Light, sport.ua have said that Sunderland have no plans to let him leave on a loan deal, and that he is expected to make a push to play more football now that he and his family have settled in the area.

Sport Arena said that Karpaty Lviv were one of the contenders to sign the Ukranian striker in the summer, but sport.ua don't believe this to be the case.

Dodds had previously said that the club are expecting big things from Rusyn, who still has three years left on his current deal with the club, next season.

He said, via the Sunderland Echo: "I think his season has been a little bit clunky in that he's come into the club and doesn't speak the language, which I always think is difficult for any player.

"There was an issue with the visa for his family and so he initially was here by himself, that wasn't the initial plan and so I think that was probably a bit of a hammer blow for him at the time.

"Then you factor in all the other things, a completely different style of play, a different part of the world. It's a different way of life. When you actually reflect, Naz is one who you would probably want more from but to have expected more from him would have been really harsh.

"I do think from the start of next season, pre-season is going to be really important for him because I think those factors have been taken away really.

"His family are here with him, his language has got a lot better, he's a lot more settled in the region and has got a place [home]. So there'll be a little more pressure on him but I think we'll see a better reflection of him as a player."

Nazariy Rusyn's first season struggles should have been expected

When you're living in a hotel, as the 25-year-old was at the start of his Sunderland career, without your family, in a completely foreign country, then settling in will never be easy.

Obviously if you remove all of the aforementioned context around his first campaign as a member of the Black Cats then his two goals in 21 league appearances looks poor. He was also affected by injuries too.

Those things can play a huge part in a player's performance levels. Now that he has a year of living in the northeast under his belt, and a season of being with the squad, his performances should start to pick up.