Sunderland AFC can land huge Patrick Roberts upgrade if Burnley don't go up | OneFootball

Marcus Edwards would be an excellent addition to Regis Le Bris' Sunderland.

Scott Parker's Burnley managed to capture Marcus Edwards on loan from Sporting CP ahead of promotion rivals Sunderland, who were also believed to be keen.

In Burnley's in-house documentary Keeping The Faith, their head of recruitment, George Foster-Vigors, revealed that the Black Cats had engaged in talks with him. However, it was the Clarets that captured the winger, with Edwards' relationship with Parker a key factor in seeing him move to Turf Moor.

This would have been a massive disappointment for Regis Le Bris' side, with the 26-year-old having already proven himself at a high level during his time at Sporting.

Now, Sunderland will have to wait until the summer, and the latest developments surrounding their interest in Edwards make securing promotion ahead of Burnley even more crucial.

Sunderland in direct competition with Burnley for Marcus Edwards

Despite missing out in January, Sunderland remain keen on Marcus Edwards and, according to Alan Nixon, they will reignite their interest should the pieces fall correctly.

Currently, Parker's side have Edwards on loan until the end of the season, with the option to buy the former Tottenham man should they secure promotion. According to the Daily Mail, if Burnley are Premier League-bound then they will have to offer £10 million for his services with a healthy sell-on clause to also be included in the deal.

Of course, this makes the promotion battle that bit more intriguing. At present, both sides are in pursuit of the top spots, and it seems Sunderland may be slipping out of the race for automatic promotion, as Anthony Patterson's own goal saw them suffer a 1-0 defeat to Hull City - leaving them a large tally off Sheffield United and Leeds United.

The Clarets remain firmly embroiled, but the Mackems will be keen to see them come up short to boost their hopes of securing Edwards in the summer.

As a neutral, the ultimate spectacle would be to see the two sides face off in a play-off final, with the outcome determining not only promotion but also the future of Edwards, adding an intriguing twist to the drama.

Marcus Edwards would be an upgrade on Patrick Roberts

Patrick Roberts has been a stellar servant for Sunderland since signing in 2022, but if the Black Cats make the jump to the Premier League they are going to need an upgrade on the 28-year-old.

This season, he has underperformed in front of goal, and while he has shown creativity, it’s uncertain whether he could replicate that at the top level.

A man who could is Edwards. In 120 appearances for Sporting, he has notched 50 goal contributions, with several of those coming in high-stakes competitions like the Champions League and Europa League. His brief spell at Turf Moor has already highlighted his quality, with two goals from just 146 minutes of action.

In addition, this would continue to create a formidable attacking threat for Sunderland, with Enzo Le Fee, Wilson Isidor, and potentially Edwards all linking up in an idyllic forward line for the Black Cats.

The 26-year-old also offers versatility, with the ability to play not only as a right-winger but also as an attacking midfielder or on the left-hand side.

If Sunderland are promoted at Burnley’s expense, they must pursue a deal for Edwards. He would be a perfect fit for Le Bris' system and could provide the ideal spark to help ease their transition to the Premier League.