Sunderland have chance to sign the new Niall Quinn as negotiations start
Sunderland could be set to find a new Niall Quinn-like hero in the summer transfer window.
The Black Cats have had an excellent season under Regis Le Bris and still have hopes of earning promotion through the playoffs.
Last time out, a 3-0 defeat against Coventry City dented those dreams but there is every chance of them coming true with eight games remaining of the season.
If a place in the Premier League slips away at the Stadium of Light, it could prove to be a blessing as a new Quinn could be discovered in the second tier.
Lawrence Shankland could replicate Quinn at Sunderland
With Le Bris and Co. still unsure of which division they will be in next campaign, planning for the summer window is always going to be difficult.
Despite this, the Mackems have already begun negotiations with Hearts over a potential deal for striker Lawrence Shankland.
Both Ipswich and Sunderland have engaged with the 29-year-old’s representatives as his contract with Hearts expires at the end of the current season [Graeme Bailey].
If this deal is to go through in the North East there is every chance that he could replicate the successes of Quinn when he signed for the Black Cats in 1996.
The striker signed at the Stadium of Light at 29, the same age as Shankland, and went on to be a cult hero as promotion to the Premier League was earned in 1999.
This came off the back of an up-and-down spell with Manchester City and could act as a perfect example for Le Bris to base his upcoming window on.
Sunderland could earn promotion after Shankland signing
Not every signing has to be as exciting as Enzo Le Fee, sometimes it is the cheaper deals that can pay dividends in the second tier.
Take Wilson Isidor as a case and point as to why this is the case.
That is why Shankland could prove to be a perfect signing for the Mackems in their current state and progression under Le Bris.
The Scotland international hasn’t been at his goal-scoring best this season, but the same could be said of Quinn before he signed in SR5.
In his first two seasons at Hearts, the former Beerschot man scored 59 goals including multiple strikes in European competition.
| Season | Games played | Goals | Assists |
| 2024/25 | 35 | 4 | 8 |
| 2023/24 | 47 | 31 | 6 |
| 2022/23 | 47 | 28 | 4 |
With that being said, a free transfer for a man who knows where the back of the net is could prove to be an excellent move.
If he comes even close to what Quinn did at Sunderland, Shankland could become a cult hero on a free at the Stadium of Light.