Sunderland supporters would have felt somewhat flat after watching their side's latest pre-season outing, as the Black Cats succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of non-league neighbours Gateshead.
Jack Clarke scored in the run-out, but it was a disappointing day at the office for the Wearside outfit all the same, with Regis Le Bris keeping a closer eye now on what players he wants to keep and who he could potentially offload after viewing that loss.
Nazariy Rusyn, who has been linked with a switch away from Sunderland after just one lacklustre campaign, could find he's out of the team when the new Championship season gets underway, especially if the Black Cats decide this move is necessary.
Sunderland could go back in for EFL ace
It had been widely reported previously that Sunderland, alongside a whole host of other EFL clubs, were eyeing up a move for Burnley attacker Scott Twine this transfer window.
However, all that talk has gone quiet now, with football journalist Alan Nixon stating via his social media recently, that no team interested in the 25-year-old ace had fielded a bid that has satisfied the Clarets.
The in-demand Burnley man could be the answer to Sunderland's prayers going forward, after going through the entire 23/24 season desperately wanting a talisman to lead the line, if they cough up an acceptable sum that Scott Parker and Co would deem as being enough.
What Scott Twine could offer Sunderland
Bagging plenty of goals out on loan away from Turf Moor last season in the second tier, Le Bris signing Twine could bring to a close Rusyn's brief time in England already, as the Frenchman attempts to leave his mark on a Sunderland team that really needs reinvigorating.
Twine will aim to reach the dizzy heights he managed when he was still on the roster at Milton Keynes Dons during the 21/22 campaign at the Black Cats, which saw him sucker punch Plymouth Argyle in one frantic League One encounter with four strikes all of his own making.
He would finish the season with a remarkable 33 goal contributions from 50 games in total, leading to Burnley swooping in to snap up his services, with injuries now plaguing his time in Lancashire.
Club played for
Games played
Goals scored
Burnley
14
3
Hull City
25
4
Bristol City
10
2
When fit, Twine has managed to bag nine goals from 49 games at the level, with two strikes managed last season under the watchful eye of Liam Manning at Ashton Gate, who allowed for the 25-year-old to soar when the pair were together at MK Dons.
Manning even described Twine as a "terrific" talent when he was still on the books at Milton Keynes, with the Robins previously named as another side wanting to snap up the injury-prone gem this summer, away from Sunderland being keen.
Despite the fact the ex-MK Dons man has rarely played as an out-and-out centre forward across his EFL-dominated career, he could be moulded into one by Le Bris with Sunderland just crying out for a goalscoring presence to lead the line, after Rusyn helped himself to a meagre two goals from 21 Championship games up top.
Twine suits a second striker spot more so, which could even mean Jobe Bellingham has more competition in this spot soon, but his record of 43 EFL goals to date could well mean he's shoved into the deep end as Sunderland's next centre-forward experiment.
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ByKelan SarsonJul 11, 2024