Sunderland situation may concern Notts County supporters regarding Macauley Langstaff: View | OneFootball

With less than a week to go in the January transfer window, the desperation signs are starting to kick in for many clubs in the EFL - and they include Sunderland.

The Black Cats dropped down the Championship table last week after losing to Hull City and coupled with various other results in the second tier, and life is proving pretty uncomfortable for head coach Mick Beale after just a month in charge at the Stadium of Light.

The area that the Wearside outfit probably need to address the most in the final few days of the window is up-front, where Beale is not lacking in options but he is lacking in goals.

No fewer than four new forwards were signed in the summer window, with the marquee addition being Ukrainian attacker Nazariy Rusyn, but with just one goal scored by the 25-year-old and none from Luis Hemir Semedo, Eliezer Mayenda and Mason Burstow in their 35 combined Championship appearances, the need for a striker with a proven goalscoring record is needed drastically.

That player can prove hard to find in the January window, and with Kieffer Moore of Bournemouth proving pretty hard to get, Sunderland have been turning their attentions elsewhere - such as to Notts County's talisman Macaulay Langstaff.

Notts County should be wary of late Sunderland swoop for Langstaff

Any player who is scoring goals left, right and centre is bound to attract attention, no matter what division they are playing in, but when you do it for one-and-a-half seasons in a row for a club, then it gets even more noticeable.

Langstaff was plucked from Gateshead in 2022 by the Magpies after netting 28 goals in 39 appearances in the National League North, and his 42 National League goals for County in his debut season - made even more impressive with none of the goals being penalties - helped Luke Williams' side to a promotion back to League Two.

If there were any doubts as to whether Langstaff could make the step up though, having spent all of his career in non-league, then those doubters were quickly proven wrong - after 27 fourth tier matches, the 26-year-old has already hit the 20-goal mark and also notched five assists as County chase promotion to League One.

And with 19 of those goals coming from inside the 18-yard box, it's clear to see where Langstaff's strengths lie - if a team has creative midfielders and wide players who make chances, then he will thrive - and that is why Sunderland are interested in him, as first claimed by HITC.

A penalty box predator is exactly what Sunderland need - Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke create a mountain of chances along with the likes of Alex Pritchard when he plays, and just having someone in the box with that scoring instinct that Langstaff has would be ideal.

So, with other Sunderland targets seemingly falling by the wayside, it would be naive of Notts County not to expect an approach from the Black Cats in the very near future for their star man.

If that happens, then County's owners have a real dilemma - do they cash in very late on in the window for their valuation or do they keep hold of Langstaff at all costs?

Currently, the Meadow Lane outfit are embroiled in a promotion battle despite poor recent form, winning just three of their last seven league contests, and new boss Stuart Maynard will not want to lose any of his best players so early on into his time at the club since moving from Wealdstone.

At the end of the day though, Sunderland are a huge club in English football, regularly getting over 40,000 fans through the door for home matches, and with Langstaff being a North East boy, it would be pretty cruel to prevent him from a chance in the Championship - providing their valuation is met.

Realistically, County will be looking for a figure in the region of £2 million or more for the free-scoring striker, and if Sunderland come with an official offer in the region, the League Two side need to have potential replacements lined up, because it is likely that Langstaff's head would get turned.