SAFC TransferWipe: Cheapies Galore; FIVE fresh faces linked with a move to Sunderland today

The Mid-Week Hump

Less than a week until the transfer window shuts and still little movement of note at the Stadium of Light. As jokes about Joleon Lescott subside, David Moyes has a continual list of problems to add to his to his portfolio of gloom.

Victor Anichebe's ten-week absence means the Sunderland boss likely needs someone in who can lead the line should Jermain Defoe pick up a knock, or at least provide some outlet up front.

Add the imminent departure of Patrick van Aanholt and a full-back is now a priority. Moyes does possess a right-back who can play at left-back of course - Javier Manquillo; but the Spaniard only comes with his 'versatility' tag thanks to a few appearances on the left in France last season.

Lump those priority areas onto the existing issue in central midfield and a potential month-long ban looming for centre-back, Papy Djilobodji, and there's a whole load of problems mounting for a club with no money to fix them.

Here's who Sunderland have been linked with today and the latest news on their situation. It ain't pretty, but it's cheap.

Charlie Adam - Stoke City, Midfield

According to The Sun, David Moyes is in a straight battle with former Sunderland boss, Dick Advocaat to sign Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam.

Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

The newspaper claims the veteran coach, who now manages Fenerbahçe, recalls Adam from his time managing Rangers and wanted to sign him from Stoke during his brief tenure at the Stadium of Light.

In truth, the 31-year-old has been rumoured to be on the brink of a move to Sunderland for years - certainly before Advocaat's spell here - but we can't recall the Dutch coach really being linked with him.

Adam was thought to be on the verge of signing for Sunderland when he left Liverpool in 2012 and then was rumoured to be in talks on Wearside in 2014.

The pick of today's transfer-link bunch, Charlie Adam is exactly what Sunderland's midfield and indeed squad needs right now - someone with a bit of fight who can compete in the middle.

Nedum Onuoha - QPR, Centre-Back

According to various newspapers, including the Daily Mail and the Telegraph, Sunderland are one of the clubs interested in Queens Park Rangers defender, Nedum Onuoha.

Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

The defender who spent a season on loan at the Stadium of Light during Steve Bruce's tenure, has also been linked with Scottish giants Rangers and Olympiacos. Onuoha is a product of Manchester City's youth set-up but never quite made the grade there and after his spell at Sunderland he signed for QPR in January 2012.

Onuoha is best remembered on Wearside for his super strike against Chelsea in 2010 and for a furious dressing room bust-up with John Mensah. The latter had been withdrawn by Bruce for a poor display against Wolves and stormed off down the tunnel without acknowledging his manager on being substituted.

Onuoha presumably took exception to that but Sunderland would be eventually be put off by Manchester City's £8m asking price to make the move a permanent one.

Reports claim David Moyes has tried to sign the centre-half before, and that the player has a clause in his contract which would allow him to leave Loftus Road for free. Those factors plus Sunderland's desperate need for cheap defenders make this link an easy one to make - and it may simply be that Onuoha ticks all the boxes to fill up column inches.

Darron Gibson - Everton, Midfield

All roads lead to Everton for the transfer-gossip mongers at the moment, so it was only a matter of time before Darron Gibson was linked with a move to the Stadium of Light.

Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images

The 29-year-old has been suggested as a target for David Moyes in the Daily Mail amongst other outlets. Gibson signed a new two-year-deal with Everton last summer but he's barely shown his face since, managing just 24 minutes for the first team in the EFL Cup.

Bryan Oviedo - Everton, Left-Back

Sunderland are thought to have now made enquiries about the Costa Rican international who has made no secret of his desire to leave Goodison Park and bolster his chances of playing first team football.

Photo by Paul Thomas/Getty Images

Oviedo would be a decent acquisition to fill the Patrick van Aanholt void and he wouldn't break the bank.

Neil Taylor - Swansea City, Left-back

Speaking of left-backs, here's one to get the pulses racing - Sunderland are said to be considering Swansea City full-back, Neil Taylor, as a replacement for Patrick van Aanholt, assuming the Dutchman leaves the Stadium of Light. The Swans now consider Taylor to be surplus to requirements after signing Martin Olsson from Norwich.

Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images

Reports suggest that the 27-year-old Welsh international would be available for a fee of around £3m, allowing David Moyes some surplus cash from the sale of van Aanholt to invest in other areas.

Taylor is a solid if unspectacular defender and doesn't exactly enjoy a glowing reputation in South Wales. He supposedly turned down a move to Newcastle in 2011 and most Swansea fans just wish he had left the Liberty stadium back then.