An update has emerged on Sunderland and their attempts to add a new number nine to the playing squad before the summer transfer window slams shut on Friday.
What's the latest Sunderland transfer news?
Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman are reportedly eyeing a deal to land the services of a Premier League striker who has attracted interest from a host of Championship clubs ahead of the deadline.
According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Championship side are 'trying' to secure a late move for Everton marksman Thomas Cannon to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.
The reporter has, however, stated that league rivals Middlesbrough and Norwich City are also keen on the talented ace and Sunderland will need to win a race to seal his signature.
Interest from the latter has been backed up by the Daily Mail, who have claimed that the Canaries have tabled a £7m offer for his services, although he has previously been touted with an £8m price tag.
How good is Thomas Cannon?
Although he is not a vastly experienced player at senior level, the 20-year-old whiz is a fantastic prospect who has the quality to allow Mowbray to forget all about Ross Stewart, who could be on his way out of the Stadium of Light.
Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has claimed that Southampton are confident of snapping up the Scotland international before the deadline after they made a £7.5m offer, despite the Black Cats wanting £10m.
The former Ross County star has been out of action with an Achilles injury since January but proved himself to be a reliable scoring option for the club prior to that blow.
Stewart has racked up 40 goals in 80 appearances in all competitions for Sunderland since his move to Wearside in January 2021 and Cannon's record at youth level for Everton suggests that the potential is there for him to make a similar impact in the final third.
The Ireland U20 international, who was lauded as "outstanding" by Hull City boss Liam Rosenior last season, racked up an impressive 51 goals in 97 U18 and U21 matches combined for the Toffees before his first-team breakthrough.
Cannon spent the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Preston North End and proved himself to be capable of scoring goals at Championship level with eight goals and four 'big chances' created for his teammates in 19 starts.
That was his first taste of regular senior football and he was able to average almost a goal every other game.
With that experience under his belt, the 20-year-old finisher could take the next step in his development to be a reliable goalscorer over the course of an entire season with Sunderland.
His phenomenal statistics for Everton's youth teams suggest that the potential is there for him to be a superb goalscoring threat on a regular basis in the same way that Stewart has been for the Black Cats in recent years, with his Preston form also proving that he has what it takes to deliver end product in a first-team environment.
Therefore, Mowbray could move on from Stewart and allow the Scottish ace to join Southampton with no concerns about a lack of goals in his squad if the club can secure a deal for Cannon ahead of Middlesbrough and Norwich.
