Sunderland should be plotting Ipswich Town transfer raid amid Aston Villa agreement | OneFootball

Sunderland should be looking to reunite with Nathan Broadhead, who is set to fall further down Kieran McKenna's pecking order at Ipswich Town

Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland are evidently in the market for a fresh left-sided winger this month and have been linked to a host of names, but they should be prioritising a reunion with Ipswich Town's Nathan Broadhead amid the impending arrival of Jaden Philogene from Aston Villa.

Regis Le Bris will hope for further incomings at the Stadium of Light as he bids to lead Sunderland back to the big time this term, having already pulled off the sensational loan signing of Roma midfielder Enzo Le Fee.

The Frenchman's hotly-anticipated arrival on Wearside is surely going to offer a fresh boost to Sunderland's promotion hopes, with the Black Cats currently placed fourth but with just a slender three-point gap from league leaders Leeds United.

Sunderland, however, are visibly not intent on stopping there and should amplify their pursuit of additional attacking options to bring Broadhead back to the North East.

Sunderland AFC need a new winger amid Louie Barry, Rabbi Matondo links

This month, it's all about fine-tuning as opposed to wholesale change.

Le Bris has been able to get a new and unprecedented tune out of this squad, some of whom had sorely struggled in the Championship last season, and Sunderland are one of the division's very best teams in both boxes.

Squad depth, however, was mooted as a potential sticking point during Sunderland's electrifying start to the campaign and while they have weathered the storm and remain firmly in automatic promotion contention at this stage, both ill-luck and the shortage of options throughout the camp have left them in a difficult position.

Romaine Mundle, who has been in inspired form this term, has been out injured since November, and his replacement - 18-year-old sensation Tommy Watson - is poised to face a further month on the sidelines after being struck down against Stoke City last month.

They are, of course, Sunderland's two wide-left options, and Le Bris has been forced into bringing attacking midfielder Adil Aouchiche out of relative exile to fill in there with mixed results.

It's something which Sunderland are very intent on addressing, mind you. They are among a range of second-tier suitors linked with a move for Aston Villa hotshot Louie Barry, who was recently recalled from a stunning loan spell in League One with Stockport County.

According to separate reports, Sunderland joined Sheffield Wednesday in enquiring about the services of Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo, although the former Cardiff and Manchester City prospect is now seemingly set to seal an overseas switch, leaving the Black Cats to consider alternative options.

Sunderland AFC should try and re-sign Ipswich Town's Nathan Broadhead amid Jaden Philogene, Kieran McKenna agreement

Admittedly, the market for quality and experienced left-sided wingers is rather thin at the minute, but that isn't to say options are not available.

One player who may well be is ex-Black Cats loan star Broadhead, who is enduring a tough old time of it at Ipswich this season and is primed to only fall further down McKenna's pecking order with the Tractor Boys closing in on the signing of Philogene, a long-time target, from Aston Villa for a reported £20 million sum.

Akin to a number of the players who inspired Ipswich to consecutive promotions from the third-tier to the Premier League, Broadhead has found game time immensely difficult to come by in Town's battle against relegation back to the Championship.

Indeed, he has started just two of his side's 20 top-flight matches to date - which were the last two fixtures against Fulham and Chelsea, it must be said - with competition from the likes of Omari Hutchinson and even one such Jack Clarke proving stiff.

Although Broadhead has been utilised by McKenna as of late, one would have to be surprised if that was to remain the case following the arrival of Philogene, who, with both his price tag and undoubted quality, will be coming in to establish himself as an instant starter.

His peripherial role pales in comparison to the importance he had in their stunning top-flight promotion last time out, with no player at Portman Road outscoring Broadhead's return of 13 strikes from 38 appearances.

It was very much a breakthrough campaign at Championship level for Broadhead, who proved his worth at second-tier level after enjoying impressive loan spells in League One with Ipswich and, of course, Sunderland back in the 2022/23 term.

The Welsh international returned 10 strikes in just 22 matches, with his stay frustratingly disrupted through injury, but that prior relationship could be capitalised on in Sunderland's clear search for a new left-winger.

Broadhead brings both creativity and quality in one-v-one scenarios but his considerable goal threat is the outstanding facet of his game.

The Welshman often tends to come inside centrally and run in behind defences, representing a much more direct and decisive profile to the talented, albeit inconsistent Patrick Roberts on the other side.

He would offer, you would like to think, that instant sense of firepower and X-Factor to spearhead Sunderland's automatic promotion push.

The 26-year-old wide-man has proven himself to be a match-winner on so many occasions in Suffolk and is more than capable of replicating that impact once again.

It's important to note he instantly hit the ground running with Ipswich after joining in the second-half of the 22/23 season, scoring eight goals and getting a further five assists from just 19 third-tier matches to help their promotion to the Championship.

Such an impact for Sunderland heading into such a crucial stage of the campaign could make all the difference in their search of a Premier League return.