Journalist Phil Smith has explained what position Sunderland loanee Leon Dajaku is most likely to play in while at his new club.
On transfer deadline day, the Black Cats pulled off an impressive coup, with the German youngster agreeing to a one-year loan, taking him away from parent club Union Berlin.
When announcing the news, BBC Sport referred to the 20-year-old as a striker, but Phil Smith has claimed that this may not be the primary role for Dajaku.
While speaking on The Roar Podcast, Smith offered his insight, saying: “I think he’s been brought in primarily as competition out wide rather than as a striker.
“I know that he seems to be someone who’s quite versatile, and we know Lee Johnson likes that and may well take advantage of that.
“But I think he is very much coming in to challenge [Aiden] McGeady and [Lynden] Gooch and bring some extra quality there.”
TIF Thoughts on Leon Dajaku and Sunderland…
Having previously been at Bayern Munich – where he made two senior appearances in the club’s treble-winning campaign of 2019/20 – Dajaku would likely have had to play in any role available to him. Whereas, in League One, he may be trusted by his new manager to operate in the position he feels strongest in.
The potential winger will arrive with high expectations cast upon him, having also impressed when featuring for Bayern’s reserve side as he helped the team win a league title.
If he can display his quality in England, the Sunderland fans could have a new star to cherish – especially as the club have the option to sign the 20-year-old permanently next summer.