Sunderland are in talks over signing a striker this January, and a journalist has now dropped a key update on the terms of a deal.
Sunderland chasing a striker
Wilson Isidor missing two penalties in the closing stages of the trip to Turf Moor cost the Black Cats dearly, missing out on the chance to move into the Championship’s automatic promotion places.
The striker has since vowed to put the missed spot-kicks behind him, despite admitting it was very tough to take, saying: “I would like to apologise on my teammates, every single fans and all the person of this club for what happened.
“I feel really ashamed, but I promise you that I will come back stronger from this! See you Tuesday, HWTL.”
Regardless, Regis Le Bris remains interested in signing another striker capable of fighting for a starting spot, and one of the manager’s main targets is Westerlo’s Matija Frigan.
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He could become a viable alternative amid increasing competition for Cannon’s signature.
Last week, it was reported that Sunderland had agreed personal terms with the forward, meaning all that is left to do is finalising a transfer agreement with the Belgian side.
Germanijak reporter Izak Ante Sucic has provided an update about what a deal could look like, taking to X to claim that Westerlo want the Black Cats to be obligated to buy Frigan, regardless of whether they achieve their aim of promotion to the Premier League.
The Belgian Pro League side want the Championship promotion-hopefuls to stump up €15m (£12.6m) if they go up, or around half of that if they remain in the Championship. It is unclear whether Sunderland are willing to agree to a deal of that nature, but talks are currently ongoing.
Risky move for Sunderland
Signing the Croatian could be considered a risky move for the Black Cats, as it is not a cheap deal, and if he fails to make an impression in the second half of the season, it will be frustrating to be forced to make the move permanent for a fee.
If Le Bris’ side do manage to go all the way and secure promotion, forking out £13m isn’t the end of the world, given the riches that come with playing in the top tier, but it is certainly a gamble.
The question now is whether the 21-year-old is a player worth taking a risk on, considering he has scored just six goals in 21 Belgian Pro League games this season.
Having missed out on Ben Brereton Diaz and Tom Cannon, however, Sunderland are a little short of options, so Le Bris may feel signing Frigan is a risk worth taking.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has likened the youngster to Ciro Immobile, indicating that he has a lot of potential, but he will certainly need to start finding the back of the net more regularly if he does complete a move to the Stadium of Light.