Sunderland secured their first three points of the season with a hard-fought victory over Rotherham on the weekend.
But, if the club is to mount another promotion push then they must bolster their attacking options. This campaign, the Wearside Giants have recorded 45 shots in three Championship outings, scoring just four times and losing twice.
Last season, the Black Cats were massively aided by the imperious form of Amad Diallo and seem to desperately miss his prolific nature in offensive sequences. The Ivorian was Sunderland’s top scorer with 14 goals, and they require a new player to replicate these heroics…
What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?
According to journalist Alan Nixon (via his Patreon site), Sunderland are in the running to sign Crystal Palace’s Jerurun Rak-Sakyi.
There is a hotly contested race for the tricky winger, with league rivals Blackburn Rovers also said to be interested.
Would Jesurun Rak-Sakyi be a good signing for Sunderland?
Last term, the 20-year-old gem emphatically burst into national prominence thanks to a glorious loan spell at Charlton Athletic in League One.
Across 40 starts, Rak-Sakyi registered 15 goals and eight assists, and averaged 1.9 dribbles per game, ranking the highest in the squad for each metric.
Rak-Sakyi's ex-manager Ben Garner was mesmerised by his natural ability and end product, saying:
“He takes everything in his stride and has adapted very quickly to the challenges and physical demands of the game.
“His standout attribute is his wonderful balance and ability to change direction. He can beat people with his body movement. He can go both ways, finish off both feet, but he’s also got his eyes up and has vision. I worked with a lot of players in academy football who were fantastic dribblers but didn’t see movement around them. Jes can carry the ball but he’s got awareness.”
These numbers, coupled with the attacker’s impressive profile, mean he is resoundingly above third-tier level and a move to Sunderland could be perfect, given the limited opportunity he is being afforded at Selhurst Park.
The joyous technician has been at Crystal Palace since 2019 but has only mustered three senior appearances, totalling just 87 minutes. He was an unused substitute in the loss to Arsenal on Monday evening and has been unable to forge any notable game time, despite the injury to Michael Olise.
Therefore, the Stadium of Light could be the perfect destination for Rak-Sakyi, whose right-wing berth is missing the indomitable Diallo, who was magnificent in his brief spell in Wearside.
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman was full of adulation for the Manchester United loanee and said:
“Amad's performances in the games – not just with the ball but some of his defensive work, his energy, his pressing – the way he has taken to the supporters, he's absolutely bought in to what we required of him.”
Rak-Sakyi is more than capable of repeating Diallo’s magic and has already shown his glistening potential when awarded with trust.
Meanwile, current Addicks boss Dean Holden has described the 5 foot 10 livewire as a “fantastic” young player, who is “dedicated, professional, and diligent.”
With this mentality and talent, he could be a monumentally useful asset for Sunderland and the driving force of another promotion challenge.
