We may be in the middle of an international break, but things on Wearside are hardly slowing down any. With Sunderland flying high at the top of the Championship and a January transfer window edging ever closer, speculation is rife in the North East – even if on-field action is hard to come by.
Whether it concerns the Black Cats or their rivals, there is still a mountain of news to sift through, and with that in mind, we’ve gathered up a couple of the transfer-related stories that you might have missed over the past day or two. Check out our round-up below…
Toon eye Semenyo
Newcastle United could look to make a move for former Sunderland winger Antoine Semenyo in the coming months, according to reports.
The 24-year-old endured an inauspicious loan spell at the Stadium of Light in 2020, making just seven appearances and failing to find the back of the net before returning to parent club Bristol City. Since then, however, Semenyo’s profile has risen rapidly. Now a 21-cap Ghanaian international, he has also established himself as a key member of Bournemouth’s front line, and has already registered three goals in seven Premier League outings this season.
That form has been enough to capture the attention of several top flight heavy hitters, with GiveMeSport claiming that Newcastle, Tottenham, and Liverpool are all monitoring the player ahead of prospective raids. Given that he still has five years left to run on his contract at the Vitality Stadium, however, it is understood that the Cherries would demand a huge fee for his services.
Palmer urges Sunderland to swoop for Henderson
Elsewhere, pundit Carlton Palmer has urged Sunderland to seal a sensational reunion with academy graduate Jordan Henderson in January. The midfielder is understood to be considering a departure from current employers Ajax due to a lack of consistent game time, and a report from The Sun has suggested that a return to Wearside “could be on the cards”.
Several other unnamed Premier League and Championship sides are also said to be keeping tabs on the 34-year-old, but Palmer is of the opinion that a Stadium of Light homecoming could catapult the Black Cats to promotion. Speaking to Football League World, he said: “It’s such a shame what has happened to Jordan Henderson. This is what happens when you make the wrong decision – the wheels come off.
“It was the wrong decision for Henderson to leave Liverpool to go to Al-Ettifaq. It didn’t work out in the Saudi Pro League, so he decided to go to Ajax. He signed a two-and-a-half year contract, but it’s still gone wrong for him. He failed to make the Euro 2024 squad, and he is not featuring regularly.
“He’s a very, very good player, a very good athlete, a great leader, great to have around the dressing room. What a return that would be if he could go back to Sunderland. They’re flying high at the top of the Championship, and signing someone like Henderson could be the catalyst that sees them get back to the Premier League. That would be an unbelievable bit of business from Sunderland. It would be great for the supporters.”
