He was a revelation last season for the Blues but will the big-spending club from the North East persuade Luke Garbutt to join them instead of us? The Sunderland Echo suggests that Black Cats Boss Phil Parkinson has already made tentative steps towards signing the goalscoring defender, but he, and their other free agent target Scott Fraser, do have other suitors so negotiations might be rather prolonged.
Last week Sunderland recorded a pre-tax loss of £10.58 million for the 12 months up to 31 July 2019, so they are hardly in a position to offer lucrative terms one would have thought. That said, they are a big club with a proud history, and they may want to break the bank to get back to the Championship at all costs.
Like all of you I think, I would dearly love to see Luke Garbutt return to Town, but you could not blame him if he was offered a better deal. The club has already recruited Australian international Bailey Wright on a two-year deal and former Millwall striker Aidan O’Brien on a free, and Parkinson is aiming to bring in at least 5 new players before the new season begins.
By contrast, Ipswich Town are one of only three clubs in League One without a signing to their name, and Wigan are in administration and Charlton are coming to terms with a new takeover bid.
But if you think we are in a bit of a rut then spare a thought for Sunderland, who will start their third season in this division when it all kicks off again in September. If anything could deter Garbutt from signing with them, it could perhaps be this!
Town Owner Marcus Evans is sticking to his five-point plan as best he can and has told manager Paul Lambert that he has no intention of releasing cheaply his “crown jewels”. In a series of meetings with the management team and some of the players, he has reassured everyone that his vision for the club remains undiminished. His goal is to excite supporters with entertaining football and to ensure that the academy players get their chance to shine in the first-team squad.
Garbutt has told friends that he has a “soft spot” for Ipswich and that he enjoyed the way the fans treated him both on and off the field. He also liked the area and the Harrogate-born defender may prefer a more rural environment that big city life? It is all speculation of course but the answer to the question, ‘will he stay or will he go’ may well be answered within the next few days.
