Sunderland could land January ‘bargain’ for Premier League gem likened to £32m Newcastle United star

Sunderland sold Jack Clarke for £20 million last summer, a move that perfectly reflected the Black Cats’ goals in the transfer market. A few years ago, it was rumored that the Black Cats had paid as little as £1 million for Clarke. They currently have players like Clarke, Jobe Bellingham, and Dan Ballard, to mention a few, who might soon bring in a substantial transfer profit for the team.

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder, Harvey Vale, is free to leave Chelsea in January, and the Blues are eager to let go of him as his contract expires in the summer. Sunderland AFC News has spoken with Chelsea expert Caleb Sage, who writes for The Chelsea Chronicle, about Vale’s character, the potential price the Black Cats may have to pay for him, and much more.

What type of player is Harvey Vale?

“Vale is an extremely adaptable football player. Although he is skilled at playing left-back, he is more comfortable in an attacking position, most likely behind the striker. That helps because he works so hard and is fairly physically fit. Although Vale is an attacker, last season while on loan at Bristol Rovers, he was primarily played as a left-back and left wing-back to demonstrate his versatility.

Sunderland supporters would not like to hear it, but if I had to choose one Premier League player to compare him to, I would actually pick a star from Newcastle United! However, Newcastle paid £32 million for Tino Livramento in 2023, another player with Chelsea ties. Despite playing on opposing flanks, they are both of comparable height and have the ability to powerfully bomb down the wing.

Could Harvey Vale cut it in the Championship?

As a young player, it can be extremely taxing, but Vale has the physical stamina to handle it all, and I believe he possesses the technical skill that players from teams near the top of the division typically possess. “There is no question that the championship is a man’s league, isn’t it? It’s physically demanding on the field, and games come thick and fast.”

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