Although Sunderland are going through a financial crisis which prevents them from shipping in more players this January, it doesn’t hide the fact that the Black Cats have a really thin squad at the moment, who face an uphill task to survive the relegation this season unless reinforcements are brought.
The complication is that if Moyes wants to bring in more players, he has to part ways with some of his main players. The latest players to be linked with Sunderland are Everton’s Phil Jagielka and James McCarthy.
Moyes has trusted two of his former players at Goodison Park as he signed Steven Pienaar and Victor Anichebe earlier last summer. Now, he’s looking to sign two players directly from the club. However, Koeman is unlikely to let Jagielka leave for Sunderland unless a deal for Lamine Kone is arranged, which is totally against Moyes’ current plans.
He could definitely push for Everton’s forgotten midfielder James McCarthy. The recent buy of Morgan Schneiderlin has definitely given the 26-year-old enough indication about his future with the club. With Idrissa Gueye and Gareth Barry already above him in the pecking order, and young Tom Davies making a good impression with recent opportunities, Schneiderlin’s introduction is a nail in the coffin of McCarthy’s Everton career.
Although it wasn’t Moyes who bought McCarthy to Goodison Park, he is a great admirer of the cultured midfielder who has immense experience in English footballer compared to his age. Now, with Lee Cattermole, Steven Pienaar and Jan Kirchhoff, all injured, Moyes is eyeing a move.
McCarthy has 319 appearances in English football so far. Since joining Wigan Athletic in 2009/10, he has played 223 games which include a brief spell in the Championship in 2013/14. He was also a big part of Wigan’s surprise FA Cup win that year.
Brought in by Roberto Martinez from Wigan Athletic, he was an important part of Everton then, which has changed under Koeman and he would definitely have to move out if he is looking for first team chances.
McCarthy is known for his ability to hold the ball in the middle. He could be a great addition to the Black Cats’ midfield, which lacks any real depth at the moment. Moyes had to play Jack Rodwell and Jason Denayer in the middle in their game against Stoke City, which reflects the shortage of option the boss is going through.
Sunderland might escape relegation as the bottom four positions in the league table are separated by just one point. Although McCarthy has remain injured for most of the first half of the season, he would definitely provide a great cushion to Sunderland’s midfield at such a time of crisis.
