Sunderland AFC: Return for Ipswich Town star may ease Romaine Mundle concerns | OneFootball

Nathan Broadhead would be an ideal replacement for Romaine Mundle while injured.

It is hard not to be impressed with Sunderland's transformation under Regis Le Bris.

Just six months after they slumbered their way to 16th place in the Championship, the Black Cats are sitting in fourth place having won nine of their opening 18 games.

Unfortunately, recent weeks have seen their form take something of a turn, with five successive draws and a defeat against Sheffield United meaning they've fallen from the top of the table. However, you feel that Le Bris has the necessary qualities to turn it around and get them back to winning ways as soon as possible.

That will need to be achieved without one of their standout performers this season, Romaine Mundle, who picked up a hamstring injury against Coventry City.

The 21-year-old has been a firm fixture on the Frenchman's left wing, netting four goals and laying on two assists in 15 games. But, having created the opportunities for Wilson Isidor and Dennis Cirkin to score against the Sky Blues, he pulled up in the 76th minute before being substituted for Aaron Connolly.

It was confirmed earlier in mid-November that he would be ruled out of action for up to eight weeks, meaning he potentially misses 11 crucial games. While they can't source a replacement immediately, planning for the January window would be smart and a return for a former left-winger could help ease their woes.

Nathan Broadhead could ease Mundle concerns

If Sunderland have ambitions of promotion, then ensuring they have suitable replacements for their starting XI is necessary.

Against West Bromwich Albion and the Blades, 18-year-old Tom Watson filled the void left by Mundle. The teenager is a star in the making but he cannot yet be relied upon for consistency meaning that more cover and competition on the left flank would make a lot of sense.

That should see the Black Cats turning their interest elsewhere in the New Year with a move for former loanee Nathan Broadhead potentially on the cards.

The 26-year-old is currently playing for Ipswich Town but hasn't featured in the Premier League, due to both injuries and the player ahead of him in the pecking order.

Kieran McKenna has released details saying he is training well and is desperate for him to get some game time.

If that doesn't arrive at Portman Road, Sunderland should be preparing for a potential move for the 26-year-old, who has promotion credentials after last season's success.

Across 2023-24, the multi-faceted winger netted 13 goals in 2,310 minutes of action, meaning he scores a goal on average every other game.

That sort of threat would be a significant boost for a Sunderland squad that currently lacks a clinical edge in front of goal, with Isidor leading the scoring charts on just five goals.

A return would surely be welcomed by the Sunderland fans who got a glimpse of his brilliance during the 2021-22 season.

Broadhead was brilliant for Sunderland

In a similar fashion to his current ongoings, Broadhead had his trouble with injuries while at Sunderland, but ultimately was crucial to their promotion.

Featuring in 20 matches, the Everton loanee scored 10 goals and lost just two league games as they secured a play-off spot. If any proof were needed that they were a better side with him, it came in the 26 league games he missed, where the Black Cats lost eight and drew five, underscoring his importance to the team.

If signed, Le Bris would like to see a similar contribution from Broadhead, who has shown he can do it in the second tier.

While a possible reoccurrence of his hamstring injury has to be a concern, it is certainly a risk worth taking given they could potentially sign him on loan.

However, if the Tractor Boys are only ready to consider a permanent sale, then Sunderland should follow up as his experience could be crucial to their promotion credentials.

The hope is that Mundle returns ahead of schedule and stays fit for the rest of the campaign but that is certainly no guarantee. To ease those concerns and offer cover across the frontline, Broadhead should be on the Black Cats' radar.