Sunderland should join chase for Leeds United January deal after Aston Villa setback: Opinion | OneFootball

Sunderland gambled by only bringing in one striker in the summer transfer window and it backfired, with Tony Mowbray forced to play without a number nine for a significant period due to injuries to Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms, but it seems they may well have learned their lesson.

The start of the January transfer window is now less than a month away and we can expect it to be a busy one – not least because the race for Championship promotion is as wide open as it has been for years.

The Black Cats are one of the sides with realistic hopes of securing a return to the Premier League this term and it appears Mowbray is keen to add some forward firepower next month to help them do that.

Football Insider has reported that Sunderland have enquired about a January loan deal for Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer, who caught the eye in the second tier after joining Preston North End for the latter part of the 2021/22 campaign.

The 20-year-old scored seven goals in 20 appearances for the Deepdale outfit and after a frustrating six months on the fringes of the Villa senior squad, could be on the move to the Championship once again.

But the Black Cats have been dealt a blow before their pursuit has gathered any momentum with Archer’s brother revealing that his preference is to return to North End, who will themselves be searching for a striker, next month.

That will likely make things difficult for the North East club but they should turn their attention to Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt as they look for an alternative.

Leeds All Over reported yesterday that the race for the 20-year-old has already begun with Championship clubs registering their interest in taking him on loan next month.

14 quiz questions about historic Sunderland moments – Can you score 14/14?

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In what year were Sunderland formed?

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Gelhardt enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Whites last term and though he wasn’t finding the net regularly, he did not look out of place at Premier League level.

The young forward has proven a fantastic finisher with age-group sides in the past and the step down to the second tier may allow him to find the net consistently in senior football.

He would be a good addition to Mowbray’s squad – either as further competition for Simms and Stewart or as a replacement for the latter if he departs in the winter window.

In any case, Mowbray’s reputation for working with young players and the pressure that would come with leading the line for Sunderland, who have a similar passionate fanbase to Leeds, may make it a tempting destination.

If it’s another striker that the Black Cats want in January and Archer looks a tough one to get, they need to be in the race for Gelhardt.