Former Sunderland player Stephen Elliott has touted Spurs' Troy Parrott as a player who could potentially excel with a loan move to Sunderland this season. On the face of it, Parrott's stats from League One last season, where he spent a year on loan at MK Dons, are not too impressive, with only 9 goals and 6 assists. But Elliott claims these stats don't reflect how well he has played, suggesting that towards the end of the season in particular Parrott has developed into a player of real quality. We are desperately short of strikers and Sleeves suggests Sunderland would be an ideal fit for the young Irish forward to continue his development this season.
LEAGUE ONE
"He's had that full season at League One and I think he's a better player now than League One. I know people say he didn't score loads of goals in League One but the way he plays, he was always involved in goals and he started to score a few more towards the end of the season - some really good goals."
LEVELS
"But for him to keep improving, he needs to move himself up a level. I think somewhere like Sunderland - they need a couple of strikers - they've got Ross Stewart there at the moment but he could do with a little help in there."
BIG CROWDS
"I think if Troy Parrott came to Sunderland, I think he'd embrace playing for a club like that with the big crowds, the atmosphere at the games and that feeling of doing well there and thriving there"
BIG OCCASIONS
"He looks like the type of player that thrives on playing on the big occasion and I think it could be a really good move. I can see him as a sort of a Teddy Sheringham type of player that is really good at dropping in"
DEVELOPMENT
"When he naturally fills out and becomes better at holding the ball up, he'll be better with his back to goal. But I see him as that player that can drop in and play and the Sheringham thing popped into my head. I know he works a bit at Spurs with Harry Kane but that type of player that can come in and link the game and comes onto the ball."
