NEWSFLASH! Sunderland Highlight their stance on free agent….

NEWSFLASH! Sunderland Highlight their stance on free agent….

Sunderland is apparently not interested in signing Aaron Connolly as a free agent.

According to the Sunderland Echo, the Black Cats will not approach the Ireland international at this moment.

Connolly is now without a club and is free to sign somewhere even though the transfer window has ended.

The attacker spent last season with Hull City, but his contract was not renewed despite making 28 appearances in the Championship.

Injury concerns stopped him from competing more consistently, resulting in eight points in the second tier as the Tigers finished seventh in the table.

Sunderland will not pursue a transfer for Connolly as they look for new striker alternatives in the summer.

The Black Cats spent the summer looking for a new striker, with a number of names connected with a move, but in the end, they signed Wilson Isidor on loan from KAA Gent and Ahmed Abdullahi.

The option to sign free agents even after the window closed also opened the door to a move for Connolly, who is still without a club.

But it is understood that no move is being pursued at the moment, with Eliezer Mayenda stepping up as the team’s first choice number nine so far this season.

Mayenda has started all five of the team’s opening league fixtures, and has contributed two goals and two assists.

The 19-year-old only made eight appearances for the Wearside outfit in the Championship last year, but has become a more important part of the team under new head coach Régis le Bris.

Régis Le Bris’ Sunderland striker claim

Le Bris has made a good start to life at Sunderland, with the team sitting second in the table after five games.

The Frenchman discussed the striker situation at Sunderland earlier this week, suggesting that he would like to see goals come from other parts of the side other than at striker.

“I want to say as well that the striker is not the only player on the pitch who has the responsibility to score,” said Le Bris, via Sunderland Echo.

“In many teams, the striker could be the only one, but I think in our squad, we need to create the danger from many sides – with the striker, with the wingers, with the offensive midfielders, with the set-pieces as well.

“When the responsibility is shared it is always more dangerous, and I think for the confidence of the striker, when he doesn’t score for maybe two or three games, it is not a problem, because we have other players with the ability to score.”

Mayenda proving himself amid Sunderland’s striker search

A move for Connolly might’ve made more sense if Mayenda hadn’t started the season as well as he has.

The Spaniard has played well, and the fact he’s got a couple goals to his name already this year is quite encouraging.

Connolly has shown he can compete at this level, but his fitness issues are a genuine concern.

Given Sunderland’s model is built on trusting youth, giving Mayenda the chance to continue proving himself is the smartest move for the team at the moment.

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