Sunderland are in the market for January additions, according to the club manager, David Moyes. The former Everton manager is looking for a dependable striker that would stand as a good substitute for Nigeria’s Victor Anichebe.
However, he has warned supporters that a combination of the club’s finances and the perilous league position will make it difficult to strengthen his squad.
The scale of Sunderland’s injury crisis was laid bare on Saturday, with Moyes barely able to muster a team of fully fit players.
Six youngsters padded out the bench and the Scot made just one substitution, late on, bringing on veteran centre-half, John O’Shea, for the tiring Seb Larsson. The crisis has, of course, been compounded by the African Cup of Nations, with Lamine Kone, Wahbi Khazri and Didier Ndong departing for the tournament in Gabon.
The trio could be away until the second week of February, should their nations make it to the semi-finals.
This leaves Sunderland in dire need of fresh legs, with fullback Donald Love having to deputise in central midfield in Ndong’s absence. Moyes said that he is hoping to make signings and has already begun searching the market.
