Bournemouth striker Lewis Grabban has cut his loan spell short at Sunderland to return to his parent club. A recent report in the English press has confirmed that the Jamaican forward has returned to Bournemouth from his loan spell with the Black Cats in the Sky Bet Championship. It was revealed by Sunderland that the 29-year-old no longer wanted to play football at the Stadium of Light and as a result, both clubs have agreed to mutually terminate his loan contract with immediate effect. In an interview with the club’s official website, Sunderland manager Chris Coleman was quoted to have said,
“Throughout my time at the football club, I have continually reiterated that I only wish to work with players who want to be here and work hard for Sunderland.
“Lewis informed us of his desire to leave and we wish him well.”
Grabban signed for Bournemouth in the winter transfer window of 2016 from Norwich City but was unable to establish himself with the Cherries. Since his arrival, he has gone out on loan to Reading and then Sunderland but is now back at Bournemouth. The 29-year-old has scored 12 goals in 20 appearances for Sunderland this season across all competitions.
Bournemouth are currently sitting in 16th place in the Premier League table with a tally of 21 points in 22 league matches and are in real danger of relegation at the end of the season. The Cherries boss Eddie Howe is in dire need of reinforcements in this ongoing transfer window to boost his side’s chances of survival in the top tier of English football. However, with the current market inflated and players going for large sums of money, it is an increasingly difficult task to find the value for money during the January transfer window.
So the unexpected arrival of Grabban from Sunderland might work out well for the Cherries. The 29-year-old has shown during his loan spell in the Championship that he is a goal-scorer but whether he can do the same in the Premier League remains to be seen. Having already scored 12 goals during his stay at Wearside, the Jamaican forward has fallen victim to a calf injury in Sunderland’s home draw with Birmingham City two days prior to Christmas. He has missed their last three matches and is now in a race against time to get back to full fitness for selection at Bournemouth.
Only time will tell whether the Cherries boss Eddie Howe will stick with Grabban and give him a chance to prove himself in the Premier League or if he will be shipped out on loan once again this month.
