This is part two of my transfer rundown. This section will be an evaluation of all deadline day signings (although we haven't seen them play yet) and all you need to know about our latest additions. Part one went live this morning, check it out if you haven't already...
NAZARIY RUSYN
Another transfer that took ages to finalise (and still isn’t completely because of international clearance) albeit much more understandably so due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine. One of two centre forwards brought in on deadline day, Rusyn will most likely become our number one choice in that position. 32 appearances and 14 goals last season for Zorya show his quality and at the age of 24 he hasn’t hit his peak yet, hopefully that happens in a red and white shirt. Also able to play on either side of the wing he’s versatile as well. He offers different strengths to the departed Ross Stewart as well, much more agile for example. So not only is Nazariy versatile personally, he makes our centre forward options threatening in more than one way. Perhaps he could link up well with Hemir or Burstow if we choose to go with two centre forwards. Signed for a fee of around £2.2 million, hopefully that looks like a bargain by the end of the season.
MASON BURSTOW
The other forward brought in during the final hours of the window, and somewhat surprisingly the only loan player we’ve brought in, a 20 year old from Chelsea. Burstow looks like a good addition but even if it turns out he isn’t, he’s only on loan so very little harm done in the long run. I doubt he’ll be bad though, with him being the focal point of Chelsea U21’s attack last season and doing well (six goals in 23 appearances) at the young age of just 18 for Charlton. Perhaps he has his own case for being our number one choice at centre-forward with experience in the English game and three games for Chelsea’s senior side, all of which have come during this season. Of course Rusyn has more goals at a senior level and also is our player (as is Hemir) so perhaps that will limit Burstow’s game time with the club wanting to develop their own players first over loanees. But then again that didn’t stop Amad did it?
TIMOTHÉE PEMBÉLÉ
Lynden Gooch’s replacement is the simplest reason to say why we've signed him but he looks like a player with a lot of potential for the future and a lot of skill now to have an effect. Not only does he have the added advantage of being a natural right-back whereas Gooch was a natural winger, the Frenchman sounds like someone who will add another element to our attacks. Happy to not only mark attackers but also to take the ball off of them and drive forward to launch counter attacks. Pembélé adds to a number of players who speak French, so hopefully will be comfortable on Wearside. He’s played in the Champions League and for France in the Olympics, as well as being able to operate as a centre back and further up the pitch as a right midfielder. Additionally he offers some much needed squad depth for the right back position and equally important competition for Trai Hume who needs a tangible threat to his status as a regular starter to really kick on his development to another level, so this will be a really interesting battle between the two for game time. Perhaps it’s no wonder then that we’ve chosen to splash out around £4.3 million on the 20 year old from PSG, a club who he has 15 appearances for with one goal.
ADIL AOUCHICHE
And finally we come to Aouchiche (try pronouncing that!), another French player and someone who also looks very exciting. Owing to our fantastic squad depth in the attacking midfield role, where he favours being able to play, it is entirely possible we will choose to use him more often as a left winger or slightly deeper as a central midfielder in case Ekwah or Dan Neil get injured with Matete and Evans currently both out. Minutes may be hard to come by - on the left, Jack Clarke is one of the best players in the Championship and Bennette is showing his quality after being on the edges of the squad since coming in last season. And when Matete and Evans return the competition for central midfield will be very intense. But Aouchiche may be happy to wait, if Clarke is sold for example, he is suddenly competing primarily with Jewison Bennette or if Dack’s injury record gets the better of him there’s suddenly a space for him to play as an attacking midfielder. He’s a product of PSG’s academy, so it bodes well for him that he chose to make the switch to Saint-Etienne early on to play more often. He was once a Golden Boy nominee and has often been praised for his dribbling. Now at the age of 21 he makes the switch from Lorient for a fee that will also hopefully become a bargain in hindsight, at around £1.7 million. He made 13 appearances and scored once for Lorient last season.
