Michael Beale has spoken about Sunderland’s attitude to the January transfer window.
Michael Beale has hinted at a shift in Sunderland’s transfer strategy for the January window.
With the team targeting promotion to the Premier League, the new Black Cats head coach has set his sights on prospective January signings.
Since taking over from Tony Mowbray in December, Beale has overseen five league games at the Stadium of Light.
In his first four games, he has won one, drawn one, and lost three, including a 3-0 FA Cup defeat at home to Newcastle United.
In recent years, Sunderland has gained a reputation for seeking younger players in the transfer market, and their roster is among the youngest in the country.
Michael Beale opens up on Sunderlandโs transfer plans
Beale has claimed that he would like to add some greater experience into this side this winter, instead of targeting younger players.
He has admitted that it is proving difficult to agree deals for older players, but that their experience is needed for the teamโs promotion push this season.
โAs manager or a coach in the Championship, when you go to the market and you’re a Championship team you’re often looking for a young one who’s ready to break out, and Amad [Diallo] was that type of player last seasonsaid Beale, via theย Sunderland Echo
โWe’d take Amad, for example, but does our team need that now or does it need something a bit different to help us in the last 19 games?
โThose players are more established, earning more money and it’s harder to tempt those ones out.”
Beale also revealed that January arrivals would have to be players that can challenge for a place in the first XI right away.
He said: “We’ve got two or three areas where we feel we could help the team, and that’s helping us now and then also moving forward from the summer.
“We’ve got to do what’s right for the club in terms of working within the budget.
“Also, we want good players.
“We don’t want players who are going to come in and sit behind me [on the bench].
“I think the performance on Saturday deserves maybe one or two players to go into that team and really push and challenge those players, to then rotate in and out if we have injuries. We don’t feel we need players to pad the squad out.
“I think that would be wrong, certainly when we have players who were are developing and have high hopes for in the future.”
Sunderland league position
Sunderland are currently seventh in the Championship table, sitting outside the play-off places due to an inferior goal difference.
A lack of goals has been a real issue for the Black Cats this campaign, which has seen the club ย with a potential move for 31-year-old Kieffer Moore from Bournemouth.
Next up for Bealeโs side is a home game against promotion rivals Hull City on Friday night.
