Sunderland must turn to Wolves if they lose Aston Villa target in summer transfer window: View

Highlights

• Sunderland looking for new striker this summer while key players might leave. Transfers focused on young talent for profit.

• Trai Hume attracting European interest, could leave for higher level. Ki-Jana Hoever is a potential replacement.

• Hoever could bring attacking threat and is Championship proven.

It’s shaping up to be a huge summer for Sunderland, with pressure on the hierarchy to get things right after an underwhelming campaign.

In terms of incomings, it’s clear that the Black Cats are going to be in the market for a new striker,

but there’s every chance that key players will depart the Stadium of Light in the summer as well.

We know how Sunderland operate. They target young players who they can

develop and sell on for a profit, with Jack Clarke likely to command a substantial fee this summer as proof that this strategy works.

Trai Hume enjoys outstanding individual season

However, he might not be the only one to go, with Trai Hume another

player attracting interest from across Europe after his excellent season for the Wearside outfit, with Aston Villa and Napoli among his admirers.

Of course, Sunderland will want to keep him, but, as outlined above, they have a clear approach, and if his valuation is met,

which would have to be a huge fee as well, then Hume will move on, and it’s natural that he will want to test himself at a higher level.

Ki-Jana Hoever could flourish at Sunderland

Therefore, the recruitment team will already be lining up potential replacements

for Hume in the event the Northern Ireland international does depart, and Ki-Jana Hoever is someone who fits the bill for Sunderland.

The 22-year-old is currently contracted to Wolves but he has struggled for game time at Molineux, so he has spent the past 18 months with Stoke City in the Championship.

It’s been a tough period for the Potters on the whole but Hoever has generally impressed.

The former Liverpool man has scored eight goals for Stoke in that period, and whilst he has been a wing-back on many occasions, as opposed to a traditional full-back, it’s some return.

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That gives an insight into his game, with the Dutch U21 international being someone who loves to get forward, and he has a good end product in the final third.

There are aspects of Hoever’s game that could be improved defensively, but that’s natural for someone so young, and he does have

the tools to become a reliable figure at the back, as he is quick, strong, and can deal with opponents when faced up in a one vs one.

For Sunderland, he also ticks the boxes in terms of what they want.

He is a player with over 80 appearances in English football over the years, so he isn’t some untested novice.

Crucially though, he is at an age where there is still plenty of room to develop, and the fact he was at Ajax and Liverpool as a kid,

before Wolves spent more than £10m to sign him, shows he is someone that a lot of clubs have rated highly in the past.

With two years left on his Wolves contract, the Premier League side are in a tricky position this summer. Do they let him enter the last 12 months when his value will start to drop?

Nelson Semedo and Matt Doherty are ahead of him in the pecking order, and whilst Hoever has done reasonably well at Stoke,

his form at the Bet365 Stadium is unlikely to be enough to convince Gary O’Neil that Hoever should replace the Irishman as Semedo’s understudy.

So, there could be an opportunity for Sunderland to strike this summer, and with Wanderers’ owners Fosun looking for the club to be self-sustainable,

they may consider cashing in if the funds brought in can be used to strengthen the first-team squad, which is seriously lacking depth.

From Sunderland’s perspective, the prospect of losing Hume this summer is

one that will worry the fans, but if Hoever replaces him it would soften the blow and show that this transfer strategy can work.

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