Sunderland’s miserable form in the Premier League last season seems to be still haunting them as the Black Cats have performed really bad in the Championship this season. Simon Grayson has been given the sack and it remains to be seen whether the club would be able to recover from the current situation or not.
There had been a change in the mantle as Simon Grayson took up the charge following the departure of David Moyes last season, but they have failed to welcome the change as they are currently languishing at the bottom of the relegation zone.
A number of players like Jordan Pickford and Jermain Defoe left the club which could be the reason behind their slump. However, despite their low-performance, Lamine Kone has been linked with a move to West Ham United.
The Hammers are in a similar condition that Sunderland were a season ago but they are comparatively in a much better position. The East Londoners also got rid of their manager Slaven Bilic and have appointed David Moyes to guide the side for the remainder of the season (yes we see the irony though!).
When a manager arrives at a club, he has his certain requirements and Moyes is likely to follow the tradition. Kone has been one of his favourite players and the manager has asked the club to bring him the Ivorian international in January.
Barring the first few months, Kone’s stock has fallen but the club are unlikely to let him leave the club at such a critical junction.
Sunderland brought him from Lorient for £6m but would be willing to sell him for a cut-price fee in January. Moyes has been given the green light to take the call in the transfer window and reorganising the defence would be his first priority.
Kone has the pace and athleticism to match the current tenacity of the Premier League but his falling form could be a risk from the perspective of the Hammers but the Scot is apparently ready to make a gamble here.
Kone is currently sidelined with a knee injury and it seems he might have played his last match for the Black Cats. Kone hasn’t managed to establish his authority in the Championship as he has fallen in the pecking order at the Stadium of Light and the Hammers would be able to provide him with a opportunity to resurrect his career.
