CHERRIES striker Lewis Grabban is a transfer target for Sunderland, as revealed exclusively by the Daily Echo at the end of last week.
Grabban is reportedly due at the Stadium of Light tomorrow to discuss the possibility of joining the Black Cats on a season-long loan.
Marc Wilson and Lewis Grabban not given squad numbers by #afcb. Hearing Sunderland are keen on the pair. #SAFC
— Neil Perrett (@nperrettecho) July 21, 2017
The 29-year-old was not given a squad number by Cherries boss Eddie Howe for the forthcoming campaign, further fuelling speculation a move could be on the cards.
Grabban also stayed behind and did not join his team-mates on the club’s pre-season training camp in southern Spain earlier this month.
Just hours after the Daily Echo had revealed Sunderland were keen on Grabban on Friday, Howe confirmed the frontman looked set to leave.
Speaking to the Echo following Cherries’ pre-season friendly at Portsmouth on Saturday, Howe was asked about the futures of Grabban and Marc Wilson, another player not given a squad number.
Howe said: “I think there is a good chance both players may look to leave the football club in this window.
“Obviously, I have to make some difficult choices and work with the players I feel are going to participate during our season. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to make some tough calls.”
Grabban, who rejoined Cherries from Norwich in January 2016, made 19 appearances during a loan spell with Reading last season, featuring in their Championship play-off final defeat to Huddersfield.
He initially joined Cherries for £300,000 from Rotherham in 2012 and made an inauspicious start under former managerial pair Paul Groves and Shaun Brooks.
The south Londoner flourished under Howe and hit 13 goals to help the club finish as runners-up in League One in 2013.
He then netted 22 times during Cherries’ 2013-14 campaign in the Championship before Norwich triggered a £3m release clause in his contract to take him to Carrow Road in June 2014.
Grabban agreed terms on a three-and-a-half year contract when he rejoined Cherries for an undisclosed fee, believed to have been around £7million.
He made three substitute appearances in the Premier League last season and started the FA Cup defeat at Millwall in January, his last game in a Cherries shirt.
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