With approximately three weeks remaining in the summer transfer window, the annual summer arms race is in full flow and there are signs to suggest that Sunderland are losing ground on their competitors. It was the Sunderland Manager himself, Dick Advocaat, who was quoted in June as saying that the club required five or six quality players in order to not only retain their status as a Premier League club but to progress further up the standings. This recruitment goal was deemed to be imperative to the success or indeed the failure of the club’s forthcoming season. Following the lacklustre 4-2 away defeat to Leicester on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, the general consensus amongst fans is that the transfer activity thus far would suggest that Sunderland have failed to achieve that goal.
Sunderland’s recruitment approach in the window has been of a frugal nature, spending approximately £15 million on a total of five players whilst also recouping an estimated £6-7 million of their net expenditure via the sale of Connor Wickham. Judging by the intent of Sunderland’s competitors in the transfer market, this may not be sufficient. There are certainly bargain transfers to be exploited within the market, as Swansea would attest to following their free transfer capture of Andre Ayew, however there is an old adage that has become almost irrefutable in the modern economically dominant business of football – you must speculate to accumulate. With teams such as Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace flexing their muscle in the transfer window, all whilst operating on a very similar, if not inferior budget, could this spell trouble for a perennial relegation battling Sunderland.
In the midst of the frenetic transfer activity that has unfolded already this summer, it appears that Sunderland have perhaps faded into the background in regards to their pursuit of quality recruits. It is not only the Premier League giants that have splashed the cash this summer but the less formidable outfits of the league as well. Stoke have today spent £12 million on Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri in an impressive example of a mid table team punching above their weight in the transfer market. Much to the same effect, Crystal Palace have managed a similar coup by attracting French international Yohan Cabaye to London for a fee in the region of £13 million. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, West Bromwich Albion have recently secured the signature of Venezuelan striker Salomon Rondon for a club record £12 million, a surprising move from a club and manager both known for their frugality. It can be argued that both Stoke and Crystal Palace have pulled off the transfers due to their respective top ten finishes in the league last year, however, alarm bells may be ringing in the ears of Sunderland fans now that another relegation battling side in West Bromwich Albion has made such a power move; a real statement of intent.
All of this conjecture begs the question: Are Sunderland reluctant to spend in fear of being frivolous due to financial constraints and possibly even regretting the transfer in hindsight, a la Jack Rodwell’s £10 million move last summer, or has the North-East club simply fallen short in attracting their desired targets to the Stadium of Light?
With time still left in the transfer window, this question remains to be answered, but one thing is for sure; Sunderland fans will be desperately hoping that their club’s future will be looking brighter than it has this weekend, come 6pm on September 1st.
