Sunderland was previously a fragmented club, and the years leading up to its relegation to League One in 2018 gave the impression that the club was in rapid decline.
There was a growing schism between the club and its supporters in the early to mid-2010s, as ill-advised management appointments and bad transfer dealings were ultimately the main reason of their demise.
While players like Jack Rodwell, Didier Ndong, and Adnan Januzaj ate up the majority of the pay bill and contributed to their dilemma, the Black Cats were prone to overlooking talent that could have saved their sinking ship.
During Gus Poyet’s tenure at the club, one star that slipped through their net was centre-back Toby Alderweireld.
The Black Cats had reached a contract with Atletico Madrid to sign the Belgium international, according to Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws [via talkSPORT], with a view to make the move permanent the following year.
Alderweireld was not impressed by the Sunderland concept and turned down the deal. He eventually joined Southampton on loan, playing 26 appearances for the team in the 2014/15 season, and drew interest from Tottenham, who signed him on a permanent contract from Atletico Madrid in 2015.
Georginio Wijnaldum was another person who escaped during this time period.
Did Sunderland come close to signing Georginio Wijnaldum?
Sunderland made a £11 million bid for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer of 2015, according to the Guardian.
According to the report, their manager at the time, Dick Advocaat, had made contact with the club to express an interest in the 24-year-old.
Unfortunately, the Dutch manager was unable to persuade Wijnaldum to transfer to Wearside, and instead, Newcastle United came in with a £14.4m bid to entice him to Tyneside.
With Newcastle winning that specific transfer battle, Wijnaldum, branded “superb” by Toon great Alan Shearer, would go on to have a fantastic season, registering 16 contributions as the Magpies were relegated to the Championship.
Before joining Liverpool and remaining in the Premier League, the Dutchman established himself as a cult icon on Tyneside, scoring four goals in a single game against Norwich.
How effective was Wijnaldum at Liverpool?
After signing him for £25 million in 2016, he rapidly established himself as a vital piece in Jurgen Klopp’s pressing strategy, with the German branding him “sensational” and asserting that he was the “architect of our success.”
Wijnaldum made 237 games for Liverpool during a five-year period, playing key parts in their Champions League triumph in 2019 and their illusive Premier League title in 2020.
The Reds battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the first leg to win 4-3 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, and Wijnaldum’s performance on the night will be remembered for the rest of his life.
He produced two brilliant moments to turn the game on its head and all but crush Barcelona’s spirit as Liverpool prevailed on the greatest European night Anfield has ever seen.
Remembered for his ability to perform on the biggest stages and missed for the explosive power, sensational ball-carrying, and insane press resistance he brought to Klopp’s midfield trio, the Reds have only recently replaced those vital attributes with the arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer.
The long-lasting impact that Wijnaldum left behind following his departure from the club to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 is highlighted by how long it took the club to truly replace his world-class traits following his departure from the club to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Imagine if he had been able to debut those at the Stadium of Light…
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