Sunderland should capitalise on big Stoke City, Tyrese Campbell call: View | OneFootball

It is likely going to be a very busy summer of activity for Sunderland Football Club as they prepare for the 2024/25 season.

The Black Cats are heading into this summer without a permanent manager on board as of yet, and until that is confirmed, it is unlikely the club is going to be looking at transfers.

Whoever is brought in as manager this summer they are expected to be very busy, with players leaving the club as well as new players arriving.

It is looking increasingly likely that winger Jack Clarke will leave the club this summer, so if that is the case, Sunderland need to find a suitable replacement, and their answer could be Tyrese Campbell, given his current situation.

Stoke City decided to release Tyrese Campbell

Tyrese Campbell will end his eight-year stint with Stoke City this summer, as the club confirmed he would leave when his contract expires.

The 24-year-old started his football journey at Manchester City, but in 2016, the club decided to let him move on, and he went on to join the Potters.

Campbell played for the club’s under-18s as well as their under-21s before he made his first team debut in the 2017/18 season.

After appearing a handful of times, Stoke decided to loan the attacker out to Shrewsbury Town, where the loan went pretty well - five goals in 15 league games, and from there on, he returned to Stoke and was very much a part of the first team picture.

Campbell’s best season for the Potters was last season, as he played 41 times, during which he scored nine goals and chipped in with five assists.

This season, the winger has struggled with injuries, and even when he has played, it doesn’t seem to be enough for the club to offer him a new contract.

Sunderland should make a move for Tyrese Campbell

This may be a surprise to Stoke City fans and fans of the Championship, as Tyrese Campbell has shown in the last couple of seasons what he can do at this level.

But that decision has now been made, and Campbell will be searching for his next destination.

It’s still early, but Sunderland should be looking to take advantage of the situation and sign Campbell on a free transfer before another team beats them to it.

As mentioned, the Black Cats look set to lose Jack Clarke this summer, and with other players such as Patrick Roberts struggling for form, the wide area is a position that Sunderland does need to improve in.

Therefore, Campbell could be the perfect addition for the Championship side, as while he may have struggled this season, he has proven he can score goals as well as create them at this level.

The 2022/23 season was Campbell’s best in terms of numbers, as he contributed to 14 goals in total, as well as missing just five league games.

That season, Campbell scored nine goals, outperforming his xG, which stood at 8.9. He also grabbed five assists, and again, it was better than his xA, which was at 4.7.

The winger was averaging a goal 0.30 times per 90 minutes he played, and an assist came 0.17 times per 90 minutes.

Campbell was a nuisance in front of goal, as he took 83 shots, with 37 of them being on target, meaning he finished that campaign with a shot accuracy of 44.6%, as per Fbref.com.

So, the 24-year-old has the ability and technique to create havoc in the Championship; it is just that the 2023/24 season was disappointing for him and Stoke, as the player himself struggled with injuries and the Potters were fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table.

Campbell will know he has a lot to prove as such, but if he can stay fit, there is a very exciting player there, one that could thrive on the right platform.

That platform could be at the Stadium of Light, as they are keen to keep bringing in top young talents to their club, and Campbell could be another good addition.

He would cost them nothing in terms of transfer fees, and he would be a useful addition, as he knows the Championship and would give them something different in the wide areas of the team. But as well as being able to operate in wide areas, Campbell also has experience playing as a striker, and while that may not be his natural position, it could again be beneficial to Sunderland.

The Black Cats struggled in that area of the pitch all season, and it is likely somewhere the club will want to improve on. So, adding someone like Campbell who can operate across the front line is an added bonus, as he provides another option and could help take some of the burden off the shoulders of the strikers at the club.

It may be a risky signing given his injuries of late, but he could be a useful squad player at the very least, especially for someone like Sunderland, who will want to be at the top end of the Championship next season.