Sunderland could sign their new midfield maestro for free after releasing Corry Evans.
Sunderland made a risky move in releasing Corry Evans, with the midfielder having made his late return to the senior squad after over a year out.
In usual circumstances, there would be no doubt that a 33-year-old player who had been out for that long would be let go at the end of the season.
However, the Black Cats have really been lacking in experience and leadership this season after letting the likes of Lynden Gooch and Danny Batth leave.
That doesn’t seem to have phased the board though and they have now parted ways with Evans, who had captained the club prior to his injury.
Offloading Evans could prove to be a big mistake if they don’t replace him though, and it could now be as simple as looking to the place where they sent him for his own replacement – the free agent market.
Sunderland should swoop for ‘fantastic’ free agent
While many supporters will be eager to see Yann M’Vila finally brought back to the Stadium of Light, another name that stands out is Oliver Norwood.
The 33-year-old has bags of experience in both the Premier League and the Championship, racking up a total of 555 senior appearances during his career.
Norwood has an impressive four promotions to his name with three different clubs and will undoubtedly be a target for many teams hoping to earn him his fifth.
The midfielder was a fan favourite at Sheffield United and was hailed as‘unbelievable’ by Harry Redknapp earlier this season.
While Norwood didn’t enjoy as much success this term, he was pivotal to the Blades’ promotion in the previous campaign.
The veteran made the sixth-most tackles in the Championship (111), the fifth-most interceptions (77) and the sixth-most key passes (82).
Oliver Norwood is the serial-winner that Sunderland need
Norwood is clearly a very solid Championship player and could do a brilliant job pushing for promotion next season.
Sunderland would certainly face competition for his signature, but he seems like a player that the club would really regret not snapping up.
Norwood would arguably be an improvement on Evans, and he also hasn’t been sidelined for over a year too.
He knows exactly how to get promoted and would be a great leader to guide this young team to success, while he would also give Dan Neil a rest from anchoring the midfield.
The Black Cats will be missing a trick if they don’t make a move for the free agent sooner rather than later.