Sunderland: Mowbray could sign Amad Diallo 2.0

The Black Cats could sign an exciting new winger before the window closes.

Sunderland have not exactly enjoyed the greatest of starts to the Championship season.

Fresh off the back of a play-off run, the Black Cats were in a fine position to compete yet again but two straight defeats to start the campaign has left confidence on the floor.

That said, their new hero Jobe Bellingham was on hand to gift their first win of the season against Rotherham last Saturday.

Such a topsy-turvy start to the term dictates that a few more incomings certainly wouldn’t go amiss.

What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?

According to journalist Alan Nixon, a host of clubs are interested in signing a hot young talent from a Premier League club.

The man in question is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, a winger who is currently plying his trade at Crystal Palace.

The 20-year-old spent a passage of last season on loan at Charlton but is now fielding interest not only from Sunderland but Blackburn.

The £6k-per-week earner has been the subject of conversations between Palace and Sunderland, although no deal is thought to be in place yet.

What are Jesurun Rak-Sakyi’s strengths?

The attacker is one of the most vibrant young forces in the game at the moment, notably scoring 15 and assisting ten for the Addicks during a red-hot 2022/23 campaign.

Capable of finding the net with immense regularity but also providing goal-scoring opportunities for teammates on a frequent basis, Rak-Sakyi has very few weaknesses.

Indeed, no player completed more successful dribbles in the entirety of League One last season with 80, while he sat inside the best 23% of players in the league for overall key passes. It is no wonder then, to hear that he’s been praised for his “wonderful balance” by former Charlton boss Ben Garner.

Such strengths immediately draw parallels with arguably Sunderland’s brightest spark in 2022/23; Amad Diallo.

Having joined on loan for a season from Manchester United, the Ivorian lit up the Stadium of Light from the same right-hand side that Rak-Sakyi would be expected to do should he find his career in the north east of England.

He scored 14 goals, just one fewer than his potential replacement, albeit at a higher level, while also registering four assists across all competitions.

Like the Palace starlet, though, he shone when it came to dribbling with the ball. Only five players, two of which were Roberts and Jack Clarke, completed more dribbles (62) than Diallo in the second tier while he sat in the best 16% in the division among positionally similar players for key passes across the season (35).

With that in mind, it’s clear to see just how alike the two wingers are.

With Amad gone, it is imperative that Tony Mowbray can find someone capable of delivering those magic moments again.

Rak-Sakyi could well be that man. He once went on a run of 20 goals and 15 assists across 34 Palace youth team games to demonstrate the immense firepower he can offer.

Having now shown that quality at first-team level too, it is only a matter of time before he finds himself in the Palace side. That said, a Championship spell beforehand would surely do him no harm.