A major update has emerged about Sunderland target Clark Robertson, regarding where he wants to play next season.
What’s the talk?
According to The Daily Record, Sunderland transfer target Robertson wants to stay in England. Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen were showing an interest in signing him on a free transfer from Rotherham, but the centre-back is now likely to join an EFL club instead.
Football Insider reported last month that Sunderland are one of the English sides looking to sign the defender this summer. His contract at Rotherham expires at the end of the month and he could become a free agent in July unless Paul Warne can tie him down to an extension.
Rotherham boss Warne hailed the defender as “unique” upon his arrival at The Millars in 2018 due to him being a left-footed centre-back. He told Rotherham’s official website:
“He’s a really good kid and he really wants to learn. He played a lot of games last year and the couple before that and I think he’ll fit in a treat. He can step in and play out from the back, which the league we’re going into will allow a little bit more and he’ll bring us a bit of calmness.
“I’ve known him for quite a while and he’s a left-sider, which is pretty unique. He can play and he was a huge part of the Blackpool team last year. He’s a good, strong, competitive centre half which fits in with what we’re looking for here.”
Get it done
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman must now sanction a deal for Robertson and get it done before any of their League One rivals can make a move. Speakman has to take this opportunity to snap up Robertson and bolster Lee Johnson’s squad, with Robertson wanting to stay in England a major boost for the Black Cats as it has ruled Aberdeen out of the race.
This means that there will not be any top-flight football clubs for Sunderland to have to compete against, with Robertson seemingly set to join a Championship or League One side.
Johnson is in a difficult position in regards to the centre-back position as it stands. Dion Sanderson has returned to Wolves at the end of his loan spell and Luke O’Nien is out of contract at the end of the month with no update on his future since the end of the campaign. This has left Bailey Wright as the only first-choice centre-back left at the club heading into next season, which is why Speakman must seal a swoop for Robertson.
The £3.4k-per-week enforcer can come in from Rotherham and be a reliable option at centre-back for Johnson. Robertson averaged an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.86 when starting at centre-back in the Championship, which shows that he is a solid defender in the EFL. He has also played in League One for Rotherham and Blackpool, earning promotion with the former back in 2020. He could be an excellent signing for the Black Cats and Johnson would love having him in his squad for the aforementioned reasons.
AND in other news, Stance revealed on £3k-p/w Sunderland target with “real talent”, Speakman must act now…
