Lee Cattermole has left Sunderland (Daily Mail) after providing ten years of service at the club. The midfielder still had one year remaining on his contract, but the 31-year-old reached an agreement to leave the club with immediate effect. Cattermole was one of the top earners at the club, reportedly earning £35,000-a-week. We feel that to free the wages, Jack Ross and the management team took this step.
Playing predominantly as a defensive midfielder, Cattermole made 36 appearances in all competitions last season and contributed with seven goals. The midfielder will end his Sunderland career with 262 appearances for the Black Cats. Jack Ross should look to bring in a midfield option with Dylan McGeouch also being linked with a move away from the club.
Tom Huddlestone
The Derby County midfielder played bits and pieces role last season as he made 31 appearances in all competitions, most of which came from the bench. The English midfielder can be the anchorman in midfield for Sunderland. Moreover, he has plenty of experience and can be an ideal replacement for Cattermole.
The midfielder can also fill in as a centre back and as a central midfielder when required. Huddlestone has entered the final year of his contract, and maybe the Rams might be willing to sell him as he did not play a significant role for them last season.
Ross McCrorie
Steven Gerrard recently indicated that he could send the young midfielder out on loan. Even though he is inexperienced, we feel that McCrorie will provide the much-needed energy in defensive midfield. The Rangers man is known for his tenacity, perseverance and intercepting abilities.
The midfielder has a knack of winning 50-50 duels, and the young player could be a top option as he is likely to be hungry to prove his worth. The 21-year-old put in some terrific performances last season against some top teams including Celtic and Ross should definitely have an eye on this midfielder.
Eboue Kouassi
The Ivory Coast midfielder was signed with a lot of gung-ho in 2017 by Celtic. However, he has struggled to get game time at Parkhead as he is competing for a place with Scott Brown and Callum McGregor. The midfielder missed most of the last season due to injury, and he still has two more years left on his Celtic contract.
We think that Lennon could very much sell or loan this talented midfielder. Blessed with good pace and impressive physical strength, Kouassi can do the nitty gritty job well in midfield.
