Forget Simms: Mowbray could strike gold with Sunderland's "clinical" 20 y/o "natural" - opinion
Whilst Sunderland could use the final few days of the January transfer window to bring in a new signing to bolster the club’s options in that position, Mowbray could also save Kristjaan Speakman millions by unearthing a gem from the academy.
Harrison Sohna could step up and compete for a place in the midfield alongside the likes of Luke O’Nien, Edouard Michut and Dan Neil, if if given the opportunity to do so.
The 20-year-old is a combative midfielder who was given a chance to catch the eye in the
Carabao Cup earlier this season against Sheffield Wednesday and showed signs of promise. He made four tackles and interceptions combined whilst winning 100% of his aerial battles, and he completed 79% of his attempted passes against the League One opposition (as per
Sofascore).
Sohna also made
three interceptions and
two tackles in three EFL Trophy matches in the first half of the campaign, along with completing
88% of his passes and creating
two chances for his team-mates as he showed his quality on both sides of the game.
Journalist Josh Bunting recently described the youngster as “
sharp” and “
excellent” as he caught the eye in a pre-season friendly last summer, and his statistics in the Carabao Cup and EFL Trophy this term suggest that Sohna has followed up on that early promise.
The 20-year-old may not have the experience that a player like Evans brings in the middle of the park, but the former Aston Villa talent has shown that he has the potential to be a combative, ball-winning force in midfield, and that is why Mowbray must use this injury as an excuse to unleash the prospect rather than taking a late punt in the transfer market.