Ex-Sunderland forward Kevin Phillips has told Lee Johnson to pay over the odds to secure a deal for Exeter City right-back Josh Key before the end of August, in an interview with Football Insider.
The Black Cats are currently on the prowl for a right-back after Conor McLaughlin's departure in the summer, with the Wearside outfit's boss Johnson keen to keep star man Luke O'Nien in central midfield and Carl Winchester filling in last weekend against Wigan Athletic.
But with the transfer window closing just a few weeks and the club yet to secure a new man in this position, they may have to work around the clock if they want to ensure they address this issue before January.
Exeter City's Josh Key has emerged as one potential target they could pursue, although it's been reported they have had multiple bids turned down for the 21-year-old. According to the League Two side's boss Matty Taylor, they will not accept an offer for the defender until their valuation is met.
After making 43 league appearances for the Grecians last term, this is no real surprise but this deal might be easier to negotiate compared to another one of Sunderland's targets.
Although Jordan Gabriel could be available to leave Nottingham Forest this summer, they face major competition from his former loan club Blackpool for his services and with the opportunity to play Championship football at Bloomfield Road, this deal may not go through.
Former Sunderland man and pundit Kevin Phillips believes it would be worth paying extra to secure Key and ensure they have a natural right-back at their disposal, speaking to Football Insider on this subject.
He said to the outlet: "It’s worth spending a little bit extra to get a deal over the line.
"They need a specialist right-back to come into the squad so for that reason I’m sure Key would make the squad stronger.
"The finances are there so just go and get him, don’t mess around.
"It is a position that is spoken about every week and it shouldn’t still be being spoken about a week after the season has started.
"For me, without being held to ransom, just go and do the deal. He is clearly a player that Lee Johnson likes.
"You want players in as early as possible so they can get up to speed and hit the ground running."
The Verdict:
Many people will be in full agreement with Kevin Phillips on this one.
Considering the business their competitors in League One are doing, namely the likes of Ipswich Town and Wigan Athletic, they need to make sure they get as many deals over the line as possible to remain one of the favourites to win promotion - and the acquisition of Key would be a great start.
If they want to fully exploit the capabilities of Luke O'Nien this season and ensure they aren't forced to regularly use him as a full-back, the League One side need a natural right-back to come in and it would be borderline farcical if they aren't able to seal a deal.
At 21 with the amount of senior football he managed to get under his belt last term, Key would be a fantastic addition and considering he still has two years left on his current deal, it would be worth paying over the odds to bring him in over the next few weeks.