EARLY DEADLINE DAY ROUNDUP

Deadline Day is well under way so here’s a quick rundown of the rumours and confirmed deals so far:

ANGULO IN

Sunderland are set to sign 22-year-old Ecuador international winger Nilson Angulo. Angulo plays for Anderlecht in Belgium and has scored 10 goals and assisted eight in his 94 games for the club. Additionally, he has 11 caps and one goal for Ecuador. He can play on both sides of the wing, slightly deeper on both sides of the midfield and as a wing back on either side too. The fee is reported to be £15 million plus £2.5 million in add-ons.

PATTERSON AND HJELDE LOANED OUT

Our two time promotion-winning goalkeeper Anthony Patterson has been loaned out until the end of the season to Championship Millwall. It’s a good move for him, he’ll offer a huge challenge to his new club’s 32-year-old first choice ‘keeper (although Max Crocombe has been doing well so far this season) and he knows the current manager Alex Neil due to Neil’s previous stint on Wearside. Millwall also currently sit fifth in the second tier, so Patterson could end up with another promotion on his CV before long.

Leo Hjelde, who played a bit-part role in last season’s promotion to the Premier League, has been loaned out to defeated play-off finalists Sheffield United until the end of the season. United have been struggling so far this campaign, currently sitting 17th and closer to the bottom three than the top six. He’s another player who was never going to get any game time after we went up, so hopefully the defender can establish himself at Brammal Lane.

AOUCHICHE AND ADINGRA SET TO LEAVE

Adil Aouchiche, who has spent this season out on loan at Aberdeen, looks set for a permanent exit to Bundesliga 2 outfit Schalke 04. Aouchiche has been doing well in Scotland, scoring three times and assisting twice in 30 appearances in all competitions. Schalke currently sit first in the German second tier but face stiff competition to remain in one of the two automatic promotion spots. We will not receive a fee for this move but it will free up a foreign loan if we want to send anyone else out.

Summer signing Simon Adingra is reportedly close to a loan move to Ligue 1 Monaco. Adingra has struggled at times since moving to Wearside from Brighton and Hove Albion for £21 million, scoring once in 15 games. The deal will include a €1 million loan fee and an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the campaign for €17 million. His new club sit mid-table in the French top flight but are only four points off the European places.

GEERTRUIDA TO STAY

Despite rumours that Lutsharel Geertruida was pushing for a move to Liverpool, it is now being said he is going to stay until at least the end of his loan spell. Geertruida has played 17 games in a variety of positions since joining on loan from RB Leipzig. We maintain an option to buy come the conclusion of this season. Considering that he has worked under Liverpool’s manager, Arne Slot, and that they play in the Champions League, keeping hold of him is a huge positive sign. His versatility will be key for the rest of the season and one of the reasons the deal fell through was because we were unable to find a suitable replacement for him in time.