Bet365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent, Britain - August 31, 2022. Stoke City's Morgan Fox celebrates after Tyrese Campbell scores.
Sunderland are plotting a move to bring Stoke City defender Morgan Fox to the Stadium of Light, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Fox profiled
The Welshman’s contract at the Bet365 Stadium is set to expire at the end of the season meaning that should he not put pen to paper on fresh terms, he will be a free agent available on the market in the summer.
The Potters left-back has been a regular feature under Alex Neil this term having made 29 starts in the Championship where he’s currently the Midlands outfit’s second-best-performing defensive player.
Tony Mowbray will be fully aware that the 29-year-old has just received an international call-up to represent Rob Page’s nation for their Euro 2024 qualifiers and it sounds like he’s now weighing up whether to make an approach during the upcoming transfer window.
The Latest: Sunderland eyeing Fox
According to Football League World, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City are all ‘looking to land’ Fox ahead of the 2023/24 term.
The Black Cats’ interest in the full-back, alongside their fellow competitors, is ‘growing’, though it’s understood that Stoke ‘want to keep hold’ of their standout performer.
The Stadium of Light boss is ‘keen’ on his target, whose impressive season in the Potteries has ‘not gone unnoticed’ by his trio of potential suitors.
The Verdict: No-brainer
Fox has previously been hailed a ‘great professional’ by manager Garry Monk during his time at Sheffield Wednesday, and should the opportunity to sign him arise, Sunderland have a no-brainer of a decision to make.
The Reds star is currently averaging 2.8 clearances and 2.4 aerial wins per second-tier game, highlighting that he’s not only able to stop attacks in their tracks but is also just as much of a threat off the ground as he is on it (WhoScored).
The Chelmsford-born talent has additionally produced his fair share of contributions in the final third having provided 20 assists and scored six goals himself throughout his career whilst ranking in the 97th percentile for most progressive passes per game.
The left-footed ace offers versatility having previously operated at centre-back and higher up in the midfield dependent on formation which will no doubt be yet another attractive attribute to Mowbray.
Fox potentially about to become a free agent means that it would cost the northeast outfit nothing to snap him up so he would be a fantastic acquisition for the boss should the club be able to secure his services ahead of their competitors.
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