Black Cats linked with Red Devils

David Moyes is still finding his feet at Sunderland but he will be acutely aware, as are the fans, that the club have yet to make a break through in the summer transfer market.

The Scot will likely be mulling over a range of footballing matters inherent with his new role, including examining the pros and cons of keeping the current back room staff inherited from Allardyce.

But, it will be the transfer market that will be taking up significant proportion of his time.

To that end, and with the new Premier League campaign only a couple of weeks away, perhaps it is no wonder that a number of transfer rumours have linked Moyes with some of his previous charges at Manchester United. Marouane Fellaini, Will Keane and Adnan Januzaj have all found themselves mentioned in despatches, players of course only too familiar to Moyes.

Given the level of familiarity between manager and those players, there wouldn’t be a need for any major due diligence on the part of the club should these links prove to have substance. Therefore, even if it transpires the rumours are unsubstantiated, you can still see there is merit in this approach.

From that list of names it’s of course Fellaini that will pique the interest of most Sunderland supporters. The towering Belgian can be deployed in a number of positions but playing ahead of two deep lying midfielders would be where he would slot seamlessly for the Wearsiders.

Jan Kirchhoff and Lee Cattermole, or indeed Yann M’Vila should he re-sign for the Black Cats, can be effective in guarding the defence. But, Sunderland have struggled for a number of seasons now in a search of a central midfielder who can be effective going forward. Fellaini enjoyed his best spell as a player in this exact role and importantly under David Moyes, during their days at Everton.

However, the Black Cats are also in the market for another striker and due to his size, Fellaini has also been utilised upfront in the past when an immediate goal threat is required. It would be a signing that kills two birds with one stone in many respects.

Indeed, at 28 years old the former Blue still has a lot to offer despite not being prolific at United, but perhaps Fellaini would feel more comfortable being a ‘bigger fish’ in a team that isn’t expected to win titles.

Either way, he would certainly become Sunderland’s flagship buy if the rumoured deal comes to fruition.