Sunderland: Imagine Will Smallbone & O’Nien

Sunderland just lately added to their Championship squad with the signing of Daniel Ballard in the summertime switch window.

The central defender has joined on a everlasting deal from Arsenal to bolster the squad, with Kristjaan Speakman touchdown Alex Neil a alternative for Callum Doyle – who has now returned again to Manchester Metropolis after his mortgage spell on Wearside.

Ballard might not be the final participant to come back by means of the door because the Black Cats have over a month left to do enterprise earlier than the window slams shut.

One participant who has been linked with a transfer to the Stadium of Gentle is Southampton central midfielder Will Smallbone. He’s being eyed up for a possible mortgage to the membership because the Saints weigh up whether or not or to not permit him to go away on a brief foundation.

The £6k-per-week gem has been described by Ralph Hasenhuttl as a “good” participant and a “hero” for Eire’s U21s by journalist Mark McCadden.

Ought to Sunderland signal Smallbone?

His boss at worldwide degree, Jim Crawford, beforehand heaped reward on him, saying: “He’s been glorious. He’s an amazing particular person. He can go anyplace, he’s obtained an actual robust mindset and an actual need.”

These feedback counsel that he’s a promising younger participant, on the age of twenty-two, and he can now kind half of a dream midfield pairing for Sunderland alongside Luke O’Nien.

The maestro has 16 video games of Premier League expertise below his belt and caught the attention in his debut marketing campaign, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.80 throughout 9 outings in 2019/20 – aiding two targets.

He supplied a glimpse of what he’s able to final time period as he created two probabilities in 13 minutes towards Chelsea within the League Cup. At youth crew degree, he produced 13 targets and 13 assists for the U18s and 23s mixed – displaying that he’s a midfielder who could make a big effect within the closing third.

O’Nien, in the meantime, averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.02 in League One as he made 3.0 tackles and interceptions per sport and received 63% of his particular person duels.

The previous Wycombe man is a disruptor in the midst of the park and might complement Smallbone’s creativity, permitting the Southampton man to work his magic on the ball by screening the defence and dealing onerous out of possession.

They might, due to this fact, be the dream pairing as one can be tasked with the majority of the defensive play and the opposite would run on the assault on the ball.

AND in different information, Provide anticipated: SAFC plotting bid to signal “fearless” gem, he’d be an enormous Evans improve…