Hull City Or Sunderland? – Which Is The Ideal Destination For This 55-Times Capped Ivory Coast Attacker

Hull City or Sunderland? Who Should Max Gradel Join?

Bournemouth’s out of favour winger Max Gradel has been linked with Watford in recent days, not for the first time, though once again, no real move for the 29-year-old has taken place.

It’s been fairly common knowledge that Gradel himself wishes to move to France to join Toulouse and they have submitted an offer for the player, one which would see him join initially on loan before making the move permanent in a year’s time, all being well.

The deal clearly isn’t good enough for Bournemouth and now, Championship rivals Hull City and Sunderland are interested in hijacking his move to France.  The Cherries have outright rejected Toulouse’s offer, though they agree it’s best for him to leave after a rather troubled time at the club following a serious cruciate ligament injury.

The 55 times capped Ivory Coast international didn’t make a single league start for Eddie Howe’s side last season and in fact played only for a grant total of 126 minutes during the whole season. His talent has not disappeared though, since his move from St Etienne back in 2015. A season in the Championship would do him no harm whatsoever.

Jeremain Lens has returned to Sunderland from his loan spell at Fenerbahce but looks unlikely to stick around, especially now that Aiden McGeady has signed from Everton. Wahbi Khazri is on the books as is Duncan Watmore and it remains to be seen how highly Sunderland prioritise a new winger, especially one who would demand the pitch space as another new signing (McGeady).

In Hull’s case they are clinging on to Kamil Grosicki, though he looks a Premier League player and offers may yet come in for him before August. The same can be said of Sam Clucas and barring those two anyway, there is a lack of quality in this position at the KCOM.

With these facts in mind, it would seem wise for the player to make a move to the Tigers. As it stands, they have no less a chance of achieving play-off football than Sunderland do and the player appears to have a much better chance of playing first XI football every week.

At the age of 29, Gradel can afford no more bench time if he wants to make the most of his career and so he is one who can be forgiven for looking after his own interests even more than those of his next team.