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According to a report in The Telegraph, Sunderland is on the verge of naming Preston North End FC manager Simon Grayson as the club’s new manager.
Grayson’s first signing for the recently relegated club? Likely Everton winger Aiden McGeady, if the report is to be believed.
McGeady’s potential move to Sunderland, now in the Championship, should come as no real surprise.
After signing with Everton in January 2014 from Spartak Moscow, McGeady spent the remainder of the season in largely a substitute’s role as he worked his way back to full fitness. He started for the Toffees on opening day of the 2014-15 season, scoring this screamer in an eventual 2-2 draw against Leicester City.
But McGeady never hit those heights again in Everton blue. He was a largely anonymous figure for the remainder of 2014, then suffered an injury in January 2015 that kept him out of the lineup until May.
The 31-year-old suffered through an unremarkable loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday of the Championship in 2015-16, after which he returned to Everton with little fanfare. Ronald Koeman loaned McGeady out to Preston of the Championship in 2016-17, where he had something of a resurgence.
The Irishman put up 8 goals and 9 assists in 34 appearances for the Lilywhites, one of his best ever professional seasons. His strong 2016-17 appears to have convinced then Preston manager Grayson to bring him along to his new club, Sunderland.
If McGeady truly does depart for the Stadium of Light, he could join a trio of former Everton players, two of whom were brought to Sunderland by former manager David Moyes. As it stands Bryan Oviedo, Jack Rodwell, and Darron Gibson are all still under contract with the Black Cats, who will be looking for a quick return to the Premier League.