Sunderland are on the verge of signing an international striker according to reports, with Ireland forward Aaron Connolly is about to join the Black Cats on a free transfer.
The Galway native has been without a club since being released by Hull City last May and the 24-year-old is reportedly at the club’s Academy of Light finalising his contract.
Connolly will view this as a springboard to relaunch his career following a spectacular fall from grace. In 2019, he announced himself on the Premier League stage by bagging a brace for Brighton & Hove Albion against Tottenham Hotspur, earning a senior Ireland breakthrough under Mick McCarthy, but his international career stalled on nine caps.
He’s since featured for Luton Town, Middlesbrough, Venezia and Hull, the latter a spell that encompassed eight goals last season.
Régis Le Bris has led Sunderland to second in the table, winning five of their opening six matches. A lack of firepower depth was apparent after the transfer deadline closed with just Gent youngster Ahmed Abdullahi added but Connolly was available on a free as an out-of-contract player.
Despite being the joint top scorers in the division, questions are still being asked over Sunderland’s attack.
Over the past few years, Sunderland have grown a reputation for signing players in need of settling.
Both Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts are standouts of that type and both have come on leaps and bounds since their moves to Wearside. Connolly could be the latest to reignite his career at the Stadium of Light if the move gets done
Connolly is primarily a striker but he has featured out wide across his career. The Irishman had only signed for Hull City in 2023 and was released despite scoring eight goals in 13 Championship starts.
The former Brighton man would offer Eliezer Mayenda some great competition, which can only enhance the Spaniard’s already good form. Connolly would be a tidy pickup for Sunderland and would fit their style of play perfectly.
Meanwhile, Sunderland could have Ian Poveda back in contention for selection for their trip to Watford on Saturday afternoon.
That’s according to Black Cats manager Regis Le Bris, who is hopeful that the winger will be able to train ahead of that game.
Poveda joined Sunderland back in the summer transfer window, signing on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Leeds United.
He signed an initial three-year contract at the club, securing his future at The Stadium of Light until the end of the 2026/27 season.
So far though, the start of the campaign has been a frustrating one for Poveda from an individual perspective, although it seems that may be about to change.
Having missed Sunderland’s first three games of the season due to injury, the winger was an unused substitute in the win over Burnley last month.
He then made his debut the following week, coming off the bench as a late substitute in the victory at Portsmouth.
However, Poveda then picked up a thigh injury that has kept him out of the Black Cats last two matches.
Now though, it seems as though the 24-year-old is ready to be involved in training again, and with a week to prepare for the trip to Watford, that could put him in contention for that match
