Will Still back to haunt Sunderland as RC Lens make dramatic bid to sign key Speakman target.
Will Still is a name that Sunderland fans surely remember well. He was the club’s no.1 choice to replace Michael Beale and a deal looked to be quite advanced before Still pulled out, and stayed in France.
Will Still was at Reims previously. Then going into last summer, he left the club, prompting widespread speculation that he be heading to Sunderland who’d wanted to hire Still since the day they sacked Michael Beale in the February.
But it was reported that Still pulled out of a move to Sunderland owing to concerns about the resources of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, and the makeup of the backroom staff. Soon after, Sunderland appointed Regis Le Bris, and Still took the RC Lens job.
Whether or not Still would’ve been a good fit is now irrelevant. Le Bris is working wonders and the decision to wait and appoint him is now looking like a very smart one from the Sunderland hierarchy.
Now though, Still and his RC Lens side could be about to poach a transfer target from under Sunderland’s nose.
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Coach of RC Lens Will Still salutes the supporters following the French Cup football match between RC Lens (RCL) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at S…
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
RC Lens have bid for Sunderland target Louie Barry
Louie Barry is someone who’s been linked with Sunderland and a horde of other Championship clubs during this January transfer window. The Aston Villa youngster is poised to head out on loan during after being recalled from his impressive loan spell with Stockport County.
But it’s now being reported by Sky Sports that Still’s RC Lens have made a bid to sign Barry from Aston Villa on a permanent basis. Celtic have also lodged a bid, though it’s thought that Barry is more likely to stay at Villa.
Aston Villa want a new contract for Barry before sending him out on loan, as it appears Unai Emery likes the player and doesn’t want to lose him on a permanent basis.
Why is this good news for Sunderland?
Celtic and RC Lens look set for some early disappointment in their bid to sign Barry on a permanent deal from Aston Villa, who now seem to prefer a loan deal during this January transfer window.
For Sunderland, that’s good news. They wouldn’t be able to compete with the likes of RC Lens and Celtic in a permanent race with the Black Cats seemingly throwing all their money at trying to get a deal for Tom Cannon over the line.
So with Villa likely wanting a loan deal for Barry, it keeps Sunderland in the running. If the Black Cats can bring both him and Cannon in before deadline day then it would make for an incredible January transfer window at the Stadium of Light.
