"Absolutely invaluable" - Sky Sports pundit urges Sunderland AFC to take Jordan Henderson transfer action | OneFootball

The Black Cats have been linked for a while to their old academy product.

Don Goodman has urged Sunderland to go and bring former player Jordan Henderson back to the club, following reports linking him with a Wearside return.

As Sunderland look to continue their promotion push, a former top flight winner has been mentioned as a potential transfer target of theirs.

Henderson, who captained Liverpool to their first ever Premier League title after coming through the Black Cats' academy, could head back to his roots this season, with The Sun reporting that a move to the Championship leaders is on the cards.

The 34-year-old midfielder, who currently plays for Dutch giants Ajax, was said to be open to making a move back to the northeast of England, according to Football Insider, but a later interview he conducted suggested that he may end his career where he is.

This preceded comments by Ajax's sporting director, in late October, which laid out that he didn't want to lose Henderson.

Don Goodman urges Sunderland to make Jordan Henderson return happen

Goodman, a Sky Sports commentator and pundit, believes a deal for the former Black Cat would be a strong one. Sunderland are currently short on midfield options due to injuries and suspensions.

"Jordan Henderson has started six of eleven league games for Ajax, so it's not a given that he'll leave. But there are so many reasons why he'd be a brilliant addition for Sunderland or any Championship team," stated Goodman, via Gambling Zone.

"He's a Sunderland boy and his leadership and know-how would be absolutely invaluable for Sunderland in their current situation. Such a young group would learn so much from someone like Jordan Henderson. Any potential transfer can only be a positive thing for Sunderland."

The club's current team captain Dan Neil admitted, via the Northern Echo, that he wouldn't mind seeing Henderson back in the red and white stripes of Sunderland.

"Yeah, he can come back if he wants. Would I like to play with him? Of course I would. He's a top-quality player. Whenever you get to play with top-quality players, you embrace it.

"Coming through the academy, you always keep a close eye on the academy products and how they're doing, and there are so many academy products from this club that have had really good careers, and I think the two Jordans [Henderson and Pickford] are the standard for that.

"And I think having that standard so high allows the likes of me and Riggy (Chris Rigg) and Patto (Anthony Patterson) to keep striving because if they can do it, we can all do it at some point.

"They're really good role models for the lads that have come through. Because he had setbacks here as well, didn't he? And he learned his trade and took a bit of stick and kind of did what you're doing in many ways and played in different positions, things like that.

"I think being the captain of Liverpool tells you everything that you need to know about his character to go in and manage so many big personalities and big characters and big players, and at such a big club, I think that tells you everything you need to know about his character, and it's top."

Sunderland could do with having Jordan Henderson right now

If the Wearsiders do want to bring the veteran midfielder home, which would go way against their previous transfer policy, then they will have to wait until January. But it would be very handy to have him in the ranks now.

Jobe Bellingham will miss the first game after the current international break, versus Millwall, due to suspension, Alan Browne is doubtful for the game because of an injury picked up against Coventry City and Rigg has been pulled from his England under-18s duties due to concerns for his fitness and welfare.

So the centre-mid options that Regis Le Bris has to work with currently aren't great. Being able to drop the former England international into the team right now would be such a luxury, but it's one that they will have to wait for if they do fancy their chances of getting him from Ajax.