Sunderland ‘to fight Leeds United’ over potential Jobe Bellingham replacement
Sunderland will face the unenviable task of trying to find a replacement for Jobe Bellingham before the upcoming Premier League season gets underway.
Speculation over Bellingham’s future had rumbled on for several months, but with the youngster having now moved to Dortmund, the Black Cats must turn their attention towards players who could potentially step into his shoes.
There are options from within Regis Le Bris’ squad. Chris Rigg for example, could be ready to take on even more responsibility for the Mackems, although that what place a lot of pressure on the performances of a youngster with no Premier League experience.
As a result, it feels far more likely that Sunderland will be in the market for another creative midfield option, but if they are stretch the Bellingham money as far as possible, it will need to be someone who doesn’t break their bank.
Sunderland should fight Leeds and Co. for Finn Azaz
Sunderland undoubtedly need to bring proven Premier League quality to the Stadium of Light this summer, but it could also be worth them considering a man who they will be particularly familiar with from their time in the Championship.
Finn Azaz has become one of the second tier’s brightest stars in the last few seasons, and he could be the perfect option to fill the gap that has now opened up in the Black Cats’ midfield.
The Irish international starred for Middlesbrough last season, notching 12 league goals and 11 assists as the Teesiders flirted with the play-offs for the majority of the season.
With Boro now facing an uncertain summer after the dismissal of boss Michael Carrick, Leeds, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are all believed to be circling around Azaz, according to Sky Sports (17 June).
Sunderland should be doing everything they can to force their way into the race for Azaz, who is evidently ready to step up to the Premier League. He would also likely be a more cost-effective option for the Black Cats to replace Bellingham than some of their other potential options.
Azaz is more attack-minded than Bellingham
If Sunderland were to chase a move for Azaz, it would likely require Le Bris to make a small alteration to his tactical setup.
Where Bellingham was excellent in what was primarily a box-to-box role for the Wearsiders, Azaz does his best work in a ‘number 10’ role.
Le Bris typically favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation throughout last season, but then cleverly switched to a 4-4-2 for their play-off campaign, and it proved to be the perfect remedy for their disappointing conclusion to their league campaign.
| Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 66 | 16 | 16 |
If Azaz were to come in, the Frenchman would likely have to revert to his original setup in order to get the best out of his new man, but that could turn out to be worth it if the 24-year-old could provide the creativity to unlock defences.
While Azaz may not be the most obvious Bellingham replacement, Sunderland could certainly do a lot worse. If they could convince him to make the switch to the Stadium of Light, it would bring more ingenuity than maybe even Bellingham could provide.