Sunderland Boss Simon Grayson Responds to Ross McCormack Transfer Speculation
Sunderland manager Simon Grayson has responded to speculation linking the Black Cats with a move for Aston Villa striker Ross McCormack.
The 30-year-old forward has been mooted as a possible replacement for Jermain Defoe, as Sunderland seek an immediate return to the Premier League and Grayson admitted his side need to strengthen.
“We’re going to be linked with a lot of players, we’ve been speaking to several players and several agents, seeing if we can get the right deal for many targets that we’ve got, for some who nobody has even mentioned yet," when speaking to The Shields Gazette.
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“We know it’s an area we need to strengthen, we’ve done it already. Will we have more acquisitions in the top end of the pitch? Probably.”
While he has intermittently been one of the Championship's finest performers over the last nine seasons, the 30-year-old Scot hasn't performed for the Villains to the high standards he set previously at Fulham, Leeds and Cardiff.
Mccormack only scored four goals in 27 appearances last season for both Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest (loan), the Scottish striker has been unable to find form since his move in the summer of 2016 for a fee of £12m.
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The signings of Lewis Grabban and James Vaughan have bolstered Grayson's attacking options. However, after the 0-0 draw with Scunthorpe United the Sunderland manager admitted the need for more options up front.
The Sunderland boss also said: “I think we were okay defensively, we were okay in midfield, where it really matters at the top end of the pitch we were a little light physically.
"The movement, no disrespect to George and Donald, when you use them in the final third which is not their normal positions, George is more of a central midfielder and Donald a right-back, it just shows you’re down on numbers. "
Jeremain Lens and Josh Maja were ruled out of the tie with injuries and after Wahbi Khazri started the game on the bench, the Black Cats looked blunt in attack.
