The end of the transfer deadline day was frantic for Sunderland, but they got their deals done just in time. The Black Cats managed to sign three payers on the final day including Will Grigg from Wigan Athletic. The Northern Irish forward had emerged as the no. 1 target for the club in the past month, and Sunderland had to work hard to bring him to the Stadium of Light.
One has to say that Wigan played it well as they knew the Black Cats were desperate for a proven striker after they sold their top scorer Josh Maja earlier in the window. Reports say that the fee can amount up to £4m and if Wigan manages to stay up in the Championship, then this can turn out to be a decent piece of business for them.
Coming to Sunderland, Grigg is a proven quality at the League One level as he has over 250 appearances at this level. The 27-year-old striker played a crucial role in Wigan’s promotion push to the Championship in the 2017-18 campaign. The forward ended up with 26 goals in all competitions, and there is no doubt that Grigg will add goals to the Sunderland squad.
However, he is likely going to be compared to the man he is replacing, and Maja had managed 15 goals in the first half of the season itself. Now Grigg is not exactly in a similar mould as Maja with the current Bordeaux forward having the ability to create something out of nothing. On the other hand, Grigg is a traditional goal poacher who seems to know where the back of the net is. Sunderland will need to provide decent service to him, and if that happens, Grigg will most definitely get on the goalscoring charts. In such a scenario, the Stadium of Light could be seen erupting with the classic ‘Will Grigg’s on fire’ chant.
One of the underrated aspects of Grigg’s game is his overall work rate. The forward always seems to put in a shift and will always close down defenders. Don’t be surprised if he can nick an odd goal or two if the defenders are sloppy on the ball.
The Northern Irishman lacks a bit of pace otherwise we think he would have been a good enough player to play in the Premier League. However, he can be a game changer for Ross’ team in the second half of the season.
If the likes of George Honeyman, Aiden McGeady, Lewis Morgan and Lynden Gooch can provide him with enough service, there is no doubt that the forward can hit over the ten goal-mark in the second half of the season. Grigg is currently recovering from an ankle injury, and he should be starting soon for the Black Cats in their bid to earn a place in the Championship.
