Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sunderland and Luton Town at the Stadium Of Light, Sunderland on Saturday 18th March 2023. (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Sunderland in ongoing talks to seal record transfer – Player wants move to happen
Sunderland in ongoing talks to seal record transfer – Player wants move to happen
The end of the working week saw Sunderland strongly linked with a move for Matija Frigan, with reports of interest from the Championship club coming from both Croatia and Belgium.
Saturday’s edition of Gazet van Antwerpen reports the 21-year-old is on the ‘radar’ of Sunderland, although the whole thing seems a little more serious than that.
Sunderland are said to have been keen on the youngster for quite a while, with their interest even dating to back to when he was playing in Croatia with HNK Rijeka.
Frigan is presented as being keen on a move to English football, and talks are said to be ongoing for the transfer to happen in the coming days.
The move, and current offer, is based on a loan with a mandatory €15m transfer if Sunderland seal promotion to the Premier League.
Sunderland support for Wilson Isidor after Burnley penalty pain
DAN Neil launched a passionate defence of Wilson Isidor after his double penalty disappointment at Burnley, praising the striker for his courage to take the second after missing the first – and backing him to “bounce back” and score the goals to keep Sunderland in the Championship promotion race.
In an emotional social media post, Isidor said he was “ashamed” and apologised to the fans and his teammates, as he had done in the dressing room at Turf Moor after the game.
But Neil says Isidor’s devastation shows just how much the striker has bought into life at Sunderland since his summer arrival.
And he says Sunderland’s first choice frontman will put this disappointment behind him and will remain a “massive player” between now and the end of the season.
“What I’ll say is that since Wilson came to the club, he’s embraced everything about it,” said Neil.
“He’s stepped up to take the first one because he wants to score goals for this club and even after that disappointment, he’s still stepped up. It hasn’t happened for him but I think we have to commend his courage to want to put it right. He’s given us a new dynamic this season, everyone can see that and I have no doubt in my mind that being the player and character he is, he’ll bounce back and score a lot of goals between now and the end of the season.
