Transfer Rumors Aplenty

By: Lucas | December 12th, 2007

I turned on my computer this morning and was met by an inbox fairly bursting with juicy tidbits regarding the approaching January transfer window (and the £20 million with which Niall Quinn and the Drumaville boys will be arming Roy Keane):

Defense is an area of utmost concern for Sunderland, who have only two clean sheets this season, and have given up 3 or more goals 5 times in all competitions; Keane appears to be using his Man Utd ties to address this, as disgruntled United and England defender Wes Brown has been linked with a move to Wearside.
Sunderland are tied for third-worst in the Premiership, having scored only 15 goals in 16 outings. Goals win games, and strikers score goals, and ours just aren’t getting the job done (Kenwyne looks very good but isn’t getting much support up there). And so we have Blackburn striker Jason Roberts – upset about lack of playing time with the Rovers’ first team – rumored to be on Keane’s short list (for £3m).
A team in the drop zone is going to have personnel needs all over the park; and while Sunderland’s midfield is stocked with some very good players, many of them have been injured for much of the season. Hence, Chelsea’s versatile-yet-bench-warming Steve Sidwell may also make the move to the Red-and-White (this for £5m). Sidwell was the driving force behind Reading’s amazing run last season, their first ever in the English top flight, which saw them finish a mere point from Europe.

For me Sidwell would be the most attractive acquisition. I got the chance to see Reading on television a few times last season, and he was very impressive, up and down the pitch. Our midfield gaps are now augmented by the inclusion of Dickson Etuhu in the Nigeria squad for the African Cup of Nations, meaning the former Norwich man could be gone from the Cats lineup for 6 weeks. I think Sidwell would be an excellent fit in the middle of the park for us, especially once Richardson and Edwards are healthy (again).