This season, Sunderland has grappled with the challenge of finding a reliable striker to lead their attack, particularly since Ross Stewart’s departure to Southampton. Unfortunately, Stewart’s time at St. Mary’s has been marred by injuries, limiting him to just two appearances for the Saints this campaign. Despite his setbacks, Sunderland has struggled to fill the void left by Stewart’s departure, leaving them without a potent goal-scoring threat.

Various attempts to find a suitable replacement, including signings like Nazariy Rusyn and Mason Burstow, have failed to yield the desired results. The club finds itself in dire need of a new striker to bolster their squad for the upcoming season.

Sunderland will be keen to avoid repeating past transfer mistakes, such as the acquisition of a supposed prolific forward for £5 million in 2015, who ultimately struggled to find the back of the net while playing at the Stadium of Light.

Danny Graham’s transfer to Sunderland

Sunderland likely anticipated a significant boost to their squad when they signed Danny Graham midway through the 2012/13 Premier League season, considering his impressive track record with Swansea City. With 12 goals from 36 games in the previous campaign, Graham’s goal-scoring prowess would have been appealing to the Black Cats. His earlier successes at Watford, where he scored 41 goals from 98 appearances, further underscored his credentials.

Graham’s memorable winner against Arsenal, a moment ingrained in Swansea City’s history, added to his allure. However, despite his past achievements, Graham struggled to replicate his form upon joining Sunderland. Despite making 13 appearances during the latter half of his first season with the club, he failed to find the net, marking a disappointing start to his Sunderland career.

zero goals for his efforts.

Sent on loan to Hull City, Middlesbrough, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, it wasn’t until the 2014/15 season that Graham managed to score his first goal for Sunderland, a deal now viewed as a significant error. Despite his return to the club during a loan spell in the 2020/21 season, when Sunderland had dropped to League One, the 6-foot striker could only muster one more goal, bringing his total to a meager two from 59 appearances. League One.

Graham’s substantial wage during his challenging period at Sunderland would have been a financial burden for the club, especially considering his inability to convert chances effectively. His weekly earnings were £12.5k more than what Daniel Ballard currently earns, as reported by Capology.

Graham’s wage at Sunderland

During Sunderland’s Premier League era a decade ago, the former Swansea player commanded a hefty weekly wage of £27.5k, making him the highest earner by a margin of over £10k-per-week compared to the current Sunderland squad.

In contrast, Ballard, the dependable central defender, earned nearly half of Graham’s wage back in 2013. Despite the team’s disappointing performance in the second tier last season, Ballard, formerly of Arsenal, stood out, and there is speculation about his departure from Sunderland.

Despite the frequent changes in management at Sunderland, Ballard’s consistency is evident, having missed only three Championship games throughout the season. This achievement is remarkable, considering the turmoil at the club. If sold during the summer transfer window, Ballard could generate substantial profit for Sunderland, especially noteworthy as he earns considerably less than Graham did.

Graham, on the other hand, may be grateful that his underwhelming spell at Sunderland did not hinder his goal-scoring momentum, as he swiftly moved on to Blackburn Rovers, where he netted an impressive 57 goals. During his time at Blackburn, he played alongside Bradley Dack, who was once a Blackburn player and is now with Sunderland.

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