By james art Sunderland have been linked with a summer move for Birmingham City midfielder Paik Seung Ho, according to Football Insider. Sources in the know have told the publication that the Wearsiders are very keen to sign the midfielder.
The Black Cats have had a long-standing interest in the South Korea international and held talks with the midfielder ahead of his move to Birmingham City.
While the 27-year-old would be a quality signing, his move could stunt the growth of Sunderland’s young stars.
Paik Seung-ho would add quality to Sunderland’s midfield
Sunderland were looking to strengthen their midfield in the summer and added the experienced Alan Brown to their ranks at the start of the transfer window.
Another name on the Black Cats’ radar is Pike, according to sources Football Insider that the club is considering a move for the player.
However, the 27-year-old’s transfer never materialized and the South Korean remained at Birmingham City, where he continues to excel at a lower level.
The Blues signed Pike for an undisclosed fee in January from South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and the centre-half has been a revelation since the transfer.
The South Korean impressed with Birmingham in the Championship last season, although the club were relegated to League One. Inevitably, interest in Pike was strong, but the Blues’ financial situation meant they could keep hold of the midfielder.
Pike has produced outstanding results for Chris Davies’ men in League One and has shown he is just above the third tier of English football.
The 27-year-old belongs on a higher stage and had he signed for Sunderland in the summer then he would likely have made a significant impact at the Stadium of Light.
Having signed a new contract at St Andrews, Pike will be hoping to lead Birmingham back into the Championship and improve his reputation on a higher stage.
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Paik Seung ho’s stats for 2024/25 Ligue 1 – according to SofaScore |
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Appearances |
10 |
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Assists |
1 |
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Touches |
77.9 |
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Great chances were created |
2 |
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Accurate passes per game |
55.6 (88%) |
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Fights per game |
1.6 |
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Restored game balls |
4.9 |
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Statistics correct as of October 20, 2024 |
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Signing Pike could have stunted the growth of Sunderland’s young stars
While Pike’s signing would have been strong, his arrival on Wearside could have been disastrous for Sunderland’s burgeoning midfield.
The South Korean would expect to start at the Stadium of Light, meaning he would be competing for a place alongside Dan Neil, Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham.
Given that the 27-year-old primarily plays as a defensive midfielder, Rigg would likely be the one whose minutes would be limited by his arrival.
Although Rigg did not start the season as Regis Le Bris’ first choice in the center of Sunderland’s midfield, he has emerged as a key presence in the side.
The 17-year-old’s first-team exposure has reaped rewards for the club, with the teenager scoring two key goals in the Wearsiders’ first nine games.
Not only did Rigg contribute in front of goal, but he put in some emphatic performances for the Black Cats. His performance was so strong that Brown had to settle for a spot on the bench in recent weeks.
Along with Rigg, Bellingham has continued to thrive in the red and white and has lived up to the plaudits that have come his way so far this season.
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Overall, while Paik would add undoubted quality to Le Bris’ squad, the fact that he would be taking minutes away from progressive youngsters means he probably isn’t seen as a huge miss in the transfer market.