Sunderland are reportedly plotting a double swoop for Bristol City duo Bailey Wright and Antoine Semenyo, according to Sun reporter Alan Nixon.

The Black Cats are in desperate need of an injection in January to put their push for promotion back on track, and they look like trying to put that right this month, starting with a swoop for Bristol City duo Bailey Wright and Antoine Semenyo on loan until the end of the season.

Phil Parkinson would be bolstering his squad at both ends of the pitch with Wright operating as a centre-back and Semenyo an exciting forward. The Black Cats have been poor at both ends this season and Parkinson finally has the chance to rectify this with signings adding to a squad he inherited when being appointed.

Here, we take a look at three knock-on effects of Sunderland making a move to sign the two Robins players…

Parkinson could get a lift

It has been no secret that since Parkinson’s arrival, he has done little to stop the rot at the Stadium of Light which has seen them slump to ninth in the table. 

The recent win over Lincoln City extended their unbeaten run to five games but it was just their fourth win in the league since Parkinson was appointed as manager.

Since being appointed in October, Parkinson has only just had the chance to make changes to his squad and mould it in a way that suits his playing style and the way he wants to operate for the rest of the season.

With that in mind, making two fresh, and quite strong, signings for League One could not only fill the players with confidence, but Parkinson and the fans too that maybe he is the man to take Sunderland forward and towards the play-offs in the coming weeks.

It bolsters their defence

While the Black Cats have the joint-third best defence in the division with 24 goals conceded after 23 games, there is certainly room for improvement for his defensive line. 

There has been few occasions where he has managed to settle on a certain lineup this season due to injuries but adding guaranteed quality to the backline in Bailey Wright is sure to help their defence shore up even more going forward.

Wright has experience promotion from League One in the past with Preston North End and could be a huge influence in the dressing room for the Black Cats, who are suffering from a crisis in confidence at the moment.

Where did Sunderland bring in these January transfers from?

The attack would be revitalised

Antoine Semenyo has shown great promise in his time at Bristol City and would arrive at the Stadium of Light to rejuvenate their attack which has also been desperately struggling of late.

Parkinson’s first-team options currently consist of Will Grigg, Marc McNulty and Charlie Wyke and none of those have really captured the form that they have shown in the past for other clubs.

Semenyo could be the man to help revitalise Sunderland’s attack and add some life to a position that has been struggling immensely under Parkinson. The trio currently at the club have scored just five goals between them, showing how much the Black Cats need a goalscorer to fire them back into the promotion picture.

While Semenyo hasn’t been clinical throughout his short career, another loan move to a club happy to have him could be what he needs to jumpstart his own goalscoring habits.