Sunderland have been linked with a whole host of strikers across this long, drawn-out winter transfer window with the likes of Emil Riis Jakobsen and Semih Kilicsoy touted to make a late switch to the Stadium of Light.
No such deal has come to fruition yet, however, as the clock ticks ever closer to the intense drama of deadline day.
Regis Le Bris will be holding out hope that a dramatic deal does get clinched before this coming Monday’s deadline, with a move potentially back on for this former Championship sharp shooter to return to England.
Latest on Sunderland's search for a striker
As per a report from Dutch outlet De Telegraaf, Sunderland are still in the race to land Ajax striker Chuba Akpom before the window slams shut.
Of course, previous reports had claimed that Akpom was uninterested by the prospect of making the switch to Wearside, having previously starred at nearby Middlesbrough before departing for pastures new in Amsterdam.
Now, a loan move could be on the cards between the two parties after all, with De Telegraaf further elaborating that Leicester City and Olympique de Marseille are also keen on snapping up Akpom on a short-term basis.
This deal could become permanent in the summer, but Sunderland will just pray that the 29-year-old’s arrival onto the scene gives them some sort of edge in the ongoing promotion race near the top of the Championship, with the ex-Arsenal man a machine when last dazzling at the level.
What Akpom could offer Sunderland
Away from riskily taking a punt on an unknown entity to the English game in Kilicsoy, Sunderland would be able to strike instant gold with the pick up of Akpom if his last season in the second tier is anything to go by.
Indeed, the ex-Boro hero would fire home a stunning 28 league goals in total for Michael Carrick’s promotion chasers during the 2022/23 campaign, with Carrick going on to label Akpom as a “terrific” talent who then also swooped up the Championship Golden Boot off the back of his deadly displays at the Riverside Stadium.
Whilst Kilicsoy has been equally as explosive at points for Beskitas, with 11 goals fired home from just 23 league games last season, he has drawn a lot of blanks this campaign in his native Turkey with just one league strike coming his way from 19 clashes.
Whereas, although Ajax are looking to offload Akpom, he has shown off his goalscoring ability in flashes this season for the Dutch giants, with eight goals picked up in all competitions, including four of those being rifled in when starring in the Europa League.
Season
Games played
Goals scored
22/23
38
28
21/22
1
0
20/21
38
5
16/17
10
0
15/16
35
3
14/15
7
0
There would be a slight concern that Akpom’s Golden Boot-winning campaign was somewhat of a lightning-in-a-bottle moment, especially when you consider he only had eight second-tier goals across his career before transforming into a clinical attacker at Boro.
But, the 29-year-old will no doubt be eager to just pick up from where he last left off surrounded by some top attacking talents such as Patrick Roberts and Jobe Bellingham, alongside also offering Le Bris a more seasoned head away from the more inexperienced members of his group.
Kilicsoy – who is just 19 years of age – joining the camp would be more in-keeping with Sunderland’s young and hungry approach, but if the Black Cats want to show they’re serious about winning promotion instead of just taking part, winning Akpom’s coveted signature could be the next best move.
Sunderland have hit gold on "fantastic" ace who is worth as much as Le Fee
This Sunderland star is now worth as much as statement signing Enzo Le Fee.
ByKelan SarsonJan 26, 2025
