Sunderland manager David Moyes is on the verge of landing fellow Scot Steven Naismith for the second time, having previously signed him from Rangers while at Everton.
Naismith struck 26 times in 123 appearances for the Toffees, also assisting a further 12 strikes for teammates and his hardworking, effective attacking presence will doubtless add something to the Black Cats’ forward line.
Performances such as his hat-trick against Chelsea at Goodison Park last term, before he left for current club Norwich, make the prospect of reuniting the 29-year-old with the man who brought him to Merseyside genuinely exciting.
Unfortunately the majority of Naismith’s scoring and assisting came not under Moyes, but his successor Roberto Martinez.
In 35 outings under the Sunderland manager he netted a modest four goals and set up two more.
Playing for the much-maligned Martinez was far more fruitful, with his 88 appearances for the Spaniard yielding 22 goals and a further ten set-ups.
The Wearsiders are currently 37-20 third-favourites in the Premier League relegation betting for 2016/17 – an assessment Naismith’s arrival may do less than expected to alter.
