"Avoid" - Sunderland AFC issued warning over potential £16.8m transfer agreement | OneFootball

FLW's Sunderland fan pundit has given his verdict on the latest forward being linked with a move to the club

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Sunderland are being linked with a move for Besiktas forward Semih Kılıçsoy ahead of the January transfer deadline.

Speaking on Asist Analiz, Turkish journalist Gökmen Özcan claimed that a loan to buy offer has been made by the Black Cats.

It has been claimed that a fee of €20 (£16.8) million will be paid to turn it into a permanent deal, provided that the Wearside outfit gain promotion to the Premier League.

The youngster has made 19 appearances in the Süper Lig this season, contributing one goal and two assists.

Sunderland warned against £16.8m deal

When asked about the possibility of completing this deal with Besiktas, FLW’s Sunderland fan pundit Jordan Newcombe claimed it’s one that the club should avoid.

He raised concerns over the potential cost of the deal, suggesting that he would much prefer a straight loan agreement instead.

“I don’t know how many times I need to say it, we’re going in on a loan to buy offer that is worth 20 million, why are we doing this? Why are Sunderland really doing this?” Newcombe told Football League World.

“It’s going to be for a player we’ve got no knowledge of, how he’s going to play, we need to just start offering a loan and that’s it, not a loan to buy.

“Because we could loan these players in, we’ll go up, and then we’re going to have to pay so much money out to the point where we’re bringing seven strikers in, and it’s just not going to be a thing.

“We can’t shift them off cause no one will know who they are, and then we’re just stuck in a loophole of not having money.

“I’m going to say no, 100 per cent they shouldn’t be going for him on a loan to buy, no.

“If it’s just a normal loan, then 100 per cent.

“But this is the one thing Sunderland shouldn’t be doing and that’s offering a lot of money for a player we don’t know a lot about.”

Chuba Akpom alternative claim made

Newcombe believes that a deal for someone with Akpom’s experience would be a better move for Sunderland in their pursuit of promotion to the top flight.

“It’s getting beyond a joke because I would rather do this for a proven striker like Akpom, who we’ve been linked to as well,” he added.

“Even if it was for Tom Cannon or someone like that, I wouldn’t offer 20 million, I wouldn’t offer 13 mill for Tom Cannon.

“But if you at someone like Akpom, who we went for, he is proven in the Championship, so he’ll come in and he will have an impact.

“It might not be as big an impact as most people will think, but he would impact them a lot.

“But whoever they sign, but for being 19-years-old and we want to offer a loan to buy and they buy is probably 20 million, no, not a chance.

“Should we be doing this? No, avoid, especially after what just happened at the weekend, no, it just can’t happen.”

Sunderland were linked with Akpom earlier this month, but it has been reported by Dutch outlet AD that the forward has no interest in a return to the Championship.

Sunderland’s forward pursuit is heating up

Sunderland have been linked with a number of potential forward options this month, so it’s clearly a position Régis Le Bris wants to improve.

Kılıçsoy is the latest option, and the expense does stand out as quite a lot relative to how much they’ve spent on players in the recent past.

However, he does fit the profile of the type of player that Sunderland like to sign, and he could prove a shrewd addition in the long-term, with a record of 12 goals in the Süper Lig already to his name.

If he arrives and scores enough goals to power the team to the top division, then the £16.8 million fee could end up being more than worth the club’s while.