It was reported as late as November that Sunderland would have been able to get Luciano Rodriguez if the Championship team had agreed to pay about £3.5 million.
After three months, HITC Football has learned that Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Wolves are now interested in the 20-year-old Uruguayan. It seems that any chance the Black Cats had of bringing Rodriguez to Wearside has vanished along with Mick Beale’s hopes of winning over a less than convinced fan base.
Having failed to find a center-forward who can consistently score goals at the Championship level, Sunderland, who depend more than ever on Jack Clarke’s magic, are disappointed that Nazariy Rusyn, Mason Burstow, or Hemir were unable to emulate Ross Stewart.
Sunderland struggling for goals and wins
The only team in the top half of the division with fewer goals than Sunderland is Bristol City, and Tony Mowbray’s dismissal was largely due to his tendency to waste obvious opportunities to score goals. Not to mention the widening gap that separates the Black Cats from play-off positions.
How Sunderland, who are currently managing under interim manager Mike Dodds for the third time this season, could use a forward who can score “a goal out of nowhere”
Dennis te Kloese, the director of Eredivisie champions Feyenoord, put Luciano Rodriguez in that category when the Rotterdam giants were on the verge of a January agreement that would have paid about £10 million more than Sunderland had apparently been quoted a few weeks prior.
Before the talks broke down, Te Kloese told ESPN, “A player who can score a goal out of nowhere.” He can play as a striker and a right winger. Rodriguez is a fantastic shooter as well.
Man City and Chelsea eyeing ‘Uruguayan Mbappe’
Rodriguez, whose Uruguayan namesake, played for Liverpool FC last season, scoring 10 goals and dishing out six assists. He also had a strong start to the 2024 campaign. As such, his failure to go to Feyenoord appears like a postponement of what was bound to happen.
The 20-year-old will shortly depart from his native country. All that matters is the where, when, and amount.
If England turns out to be his destination, then Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Chelsea, and even Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning Man City team will be keeping an eye on fellow South American Julian Alvarez, a forward known as the “Uruguayan Mbappe” because of his lightning-fast speed and goal-scoring ability. This could add insult to injury for the already dejected Sunderland supporters.
