Injuries have played a huge role this season for Sunderland. The Black Cats could never fully recover from the injury curse thrust upon them since the very beginning of the season and now with the club’s financial crisis heaping more burden on the manager, the troubles have really started creating havoc at Wearside.
David Moyes has been dealing with free agents or loaned players mainly and they have been highly ineffective so far. With little scope for making any quality transfers, Moyes is now linked with a move for Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam, according to reports.
A deep lying midfielder by nature, Adam is popular for his beautifully perfect left foot, which can pull passes from miles away and net the most thunderous of strikes. The Black Cats currently miss any real anchorman with Jan Kirchhoff and Lee Cattermole both injured, and a successful deal for Adam would definitely be a level up for their midfield.
Turkish giants Fenerbahce are also interested in getting his signature and given their European stature, they definitely hold the edge over Sunderland, who are on the verge of relegation. Fenerbahce boss Dick Advocaat is a huge admirer of the player and is reportedly planning a move this month. The 31-year-old only has six months left on his deal at Stoke City and whoever manages to land him now will be in for a cut-price deal.
Despite experiencing some bench time in the initial stages of the season, Adam is more or less a starter under Mark Hughes now starting his last four Premier League games, which include Stoke’s win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Stoke also currently sits comfortably in the ninth position of the league table with a possible contention for the Europa League qualification spot, which makes the player all the more unlikely to move to a relegation threatened club. However, quite interestingly, Adam’s agent is Kenny Moyes, the brother of the Sunderland boss, and although that is not much but it definitely tilts the possibility to his side a little.
Since debuting at the English top flight football in 2010-11 season, Adam has bagged 34 goals and 34 assists. A Dundee United youth product, Adam came up the ranks of Rangers FC, Ross County, St. Mirren FC and Blackpool, before Liverpool finally picked him up in 2011. However, he couldn’t do much at Anfield except three goals and three assists.
He made a move to Stoke City in 2012 and has been quite regular for them. Adam could be deadly from set pieces dipping in impeccable crosses and corners and with a poacher like Defoe in Sunderland’s front line, he could surely sharpen their frontline.
