Sunderland set to authorise defender deal as Middlesbrough star secures return to old club
There are just days to go in the January transfer window are clubs across the Championship are looking to complete late deals.
Sunderland’s main outgoing activity during the January transfer window has come via the loan market after Nazariy Rusyn and Zak Johnson made respective temporary moves to Hadjuk Split and Notts County.
Another loan exit could be sanctioned during the final days of the transfer window after several League One clubs showed an interest in defender Joe Anderson. The former Everton academy product joined the Black Cats during the January 2023 transfer window but has struggled to make an impact during his time on Wearside. The 23-year-old has made just five first-team appearances since moving to the North East and just one of those has come during the current season when he started the 2-0 Carabao Cup first round defeat against Championship rivals Preston North End.
Anderson’s last league appearance for Sunderland came on the final day of the 2022/23 season when he came off the bench for the last 25 minutes of a 3-0 win at Preston that helped secure a play-off spot for a Black Cats side then managed by Tony Mowbray. Anderson did earn regular game-time during the first half of a season-long loan spell with Shrewsbury last season but found life tough during the second half of the campaign. Now back on Wearside, the 23-year-old has featured for the Black Cats Under-21s this season but could join Johnson and Rusyn by heading out on loan before next Monday’s transfer deadline day and a number of League One clubs are believed to be monitoring the situation, report Sunderland AFC News.
Middlesbrough man delighted with Derby move
Middlesbrough defender Matt Clarke has expressed his delight over completing a move to Championship rivals Derby County.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed two loan spells with the Rams during his time as a Brighton and Hove Albion player but has spent the last two and a half years at the Riverside Stadium after joining Boro in a reported £1.75m deal during the summer of 2022. After making over 50 appearances for Michael Carrick’s side during that time, Clarke is now relishing the opportunity to earn regular game-time with Derby after making a permanent switch to Pride Park on Tuesday.
He told the Rams website: He added: "It feels really good. As soon as I heard that there was a possibility to come back, I was over the moon. I suppose it shows how much I've enjoyed being here, and I from the club's point of view, obviously you've done something right or it wouldn't keep bringing me back! I was around the squad at Middlesbrough but not playing as many minutes as I'd like, so I was looking to get some game time. Derby popped up and these things may take a bit of time going backwards and forwards, which can feel like forever, but it’s happened and I'm happy to be here."