Peterborough United owner Darragh MacAnthony has revealed Sunderland were keen on signing Jonson Clarke-Harris in the January window.
MacAnthony made the claim via his Twitter account, stating that Lee Johnson was interested in signing last season’s League One golden boot winner prior to his dismissal two weeks ago.
Clarke-Harris has struggled to replicate the form he showed during the promotion campaign in the Championship so far this season, netting just five goals in 25 matches, with three of those having come from the penalty spot.
Regardless of their manager situation, the Black Cats were keen on signing a striker last month in order to ease the burden currently on the shoulders of top scorer Ross Stewart.
Stewart has netted 18 goals in the league this season, but none in his last six, with new boss Alex Neil claiming he looked a little ‘jaded’ in Sunderland’s 1-1 draw at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Scotsman has started all 32 of Sunderland’s League One matches this season and it appears as though Clarke-Harris was on the list of potential targets to provide him with some much-needed support.
Sunderland instead brought in their former talisman from their Premier League days Jermain Defoe, with the now 39-year-old joining on a free transfer from Rangers.
Defoe scored 37 goals in 96 appearances during his first spell on Wearside and was viewed as a hero by Sunderland supporters for the superb work he did off the field with Bradley Lowery.
