An update has emerged on Sunderland transfer target Owen Dale, regarding Portsmouth's interest in his services.

What's the talk?

The Sun journalist Alan Nixon has reported that Portsmouth are set to join the race for Crewe Alexandra winger Owen Dale if they sell Ronan Curtis before the end of the transfer window. Nixon has also stated that fellow League One outfits Wycombe and Ipswich are out of the running for financial reasons.

Earlier this summer, Football Insider claimed that Sunderland are one of a number of clubs eyeing up the attacker following his impressive season for Crewe. He is under contract at the League One club until the summer of 2022 after a 12-month extension clause was triggered by the club this year.

Johnson needs him

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman must sanction a swoop for Dale this summer because Lee Johnson needs him. The Black Cats boss was working with a squad bereft of regular goalscorers last season, with Charlie Wyke the only player who managed more than five goals excluding penalties.

This suggests that Speakman bringing in a wide player who can contribute with goals could be a major boost to the former Bristol City head coach.

If Pompey are waiting to cash in on Curtis before moving for Dale then that could give Speakman a window of opportunity to make his move.

The Wearside chief could swiftly wrap up a deal before Danny Cowley is even able to think about using any money from the Irishman's exit to swoop for him.

Dale could be exactly what Johnson needs. The 22-year-old provided the League One outfit with 13 direct goal involvements last season, including 11 goals and two assists. Last year, his Crewe boss Dave Artell hailed him as being “very brave” and praised how ambitious he is with what he tries to do on the pitch. 

He told Cheshire Live:

“He is very brave. He is physically brave in terms of he wants to head the ball and he is not afraid of tackling and all that. But he is actually brave in what he tries to do, he is ambitious.

“When he reflects, sometimes he is very critical of himself and beats himself up about it. But he is trying things that a lot of people don’t see or can’t do. Well, that’s alright.

“There is a consistency element, the right time and the right place.”

This shows that the wing wizard could be a terrific signing for Sunderland solve a key problem for Johnson next season.

He could be the player to provide a regular goal threat from the wide positions, to supplement the strikers and give teams something else to think about instead of just worrying about Charlie Wyke or whoever else may be the number nine at the Stadium of Light.

AND in other news, Speakman dealt huge transfer blow over “fantastic” 21 G/A gem, SAFC fans surely gutted...