Not much can often be taken away from pre-season friendlies, but Sunderland’s winless streak continued this summer against Hull City last time out.
The Tigers hosting the pre-season affair would come away from the contest as slim 2-1 victors, with Simon Adingra’s opener for the Black Cats not enough to sway the tie in their favour.
The alarm bells aren’t being sounded just yet, however, as it’s to be expected that Regis Le Bris’ troops will look somewhat disjointed, especially as the barrage of new signings through the door attempt to become more and more used to each other on the pitch.
More fresh buys will soon be chucked into the mix, as well, as Sunderland’s flash summer spending shows no sign of stopping.
Sunderland consider deal for £26m star
Reports are now even suggesting that the Premier League newcomers are closing in on an Anthony Patterson replacement in goal.
Indeed, NEC Nijmegen goalkeeper Robin Roefs is set to leave the Netherlands behind for pastures new on Wearside, following in the footsteps of Granit Xhaka, who has finally sealed a switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Le Bris and Co. after tonnes of rampant speculation.
Sunderland could soon make it a hat-trick of exciting purchases by landing Galatasaray star Barış Alper Yılmaz, with a development by Turkish outlet Sabah Spor via X revealing that the Black Cats have made contact regarding a move, having been knocking on the Super Lig outfit’s door over a potential £26m deal.
Gabriel Sara is also allegedly on the Premier League side’s radar from the Turkish giants, but if Sunderland were to press on and snap up Yilmaz’s signature, they might well be about to pick up their next version of Amad Diallo, as another direct and entertaining attacker, like the Ivorian, calls the Stadium of Light home.
Why Yilmaz can be Sunderland's next Amad
Of course, Sunderland would be able to win Yilmaz outright, with Amad slipping through their fingers, unfortunately, after a breakneck loan stint at the club.
In total for the Black Cats, during the 2022/23 season, the now Manchester United first-teamer would collect a sublime 14 goals and four assists from 42 appearances, as his short-term heroics nearly saw promotion to the Premier League become a reality.
Often, the goals put away by Amad during his loan spell on Wearside were audacious, with Yilmaz also prone to an eye-catching strike himself, if this link-up play above with the aforementioned Sara is anything to go by, alongside the skilful effort being hammered home.
Last season in Super Lig action, the Galatasaray number 53 would chip in with similar numbers to Amad’s Sunderland stay down the Ivorian’s trusty right flank, with 12 goals and three assists registered just in the league, as well as showing off his class in the Europa League with a further goal and two assists tallied up.
Shots
3.70
2.34
Shot-creating actions
4.86
4.61
Progressive passes
2.43
2.81
Progressive carries
5.09
5.44
Successful take-ons
1.50
1.98
Touches in attacking penalty area
6.71
6.16
Progressive passes received
14.11
10.31
This blistering form in Turkey means he’s on the same pedestal as Amad in the here and now, too, with more shots and shot-creating actions managed by Yilmaz over the last year, when weighed up next to his Red Devils counterpart.
Moreover, it’s clear from the table above that both players get a buzz out of being gung-ho attackers, with progressive carries a particular standout aspect of both of their enthusiastic games.
His impressive skillset when marauding forward has even seen Turkish journalist Uğur Karakullukçu label the 25-year-old as an “animal”, alongside being donned as a “very special” talent ready for the Premier League by ex-coach Selçuk İnan.
There is a risk involved, considering £26m is a lot to fork out on an attacker not used to the Premier League. But, Sunderland’s gamble on Amad once upon a time paid off tremendously, with the hope that this deal is similarly golden in helping the Black Cats comfortably avoid relegation.
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