What Wolves boss Vitor Pereira said on Tommy Doyle that may concern Sunderland AFC in transfer pursuit | OneFootball

An admission from Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Vitor Pereira may not be happy reading for Sunderland AFC supporters.

Sunderland are said to be one of the clubs looking into a move for Wolves midfielder Tommy Doyle this summer.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, the Black Cats - along with Wrexham and the midfielder's former loan club Sheffield United - are keeping tabs on the ex-Man City player, wth the Molineux outfit only looking for around a £3 million fee.

However, Sunderland may want to heed the warning issued by Wolves boss Vitor Pereira when it comes to the 23-year-old - is there a chance that he may not be good enough for the Premier League?

Vitor Pereira comments on Tommy Doyle should be cause for concern for Sunderland

Doyle has made more than a half century of appearances in Wolves colours since he arrived at Molineux in September 2023, but has seen his stock fall since new boss Pereira took the reins.

And in April, Wolves head coach made a statement that could worry Sunderland as a potential suitor for Doyle's services.

Speaking to the Express & Star, the Portuguese coach said: “Technically-speaking, he’s a very good player, but in my opinion he’s missing the physicality to face this league.

“To run 50 metres, to come back 50 metres and then go 50 metres again.

“We are not a team to have 80 per cent of possession, so he has problems. If we are a team that has the ball every time, doesn’t allow counter-attacks and keeps the ball to dominate the opponent, this is the team for him.

“But we need to understand that we face top teams, top players. We need to run a lot and he’s missing this physicality, especially when we play with two midfielders.

“With three midfielders, I believe he is a 10 with high quality. The last pass, shots, crosses – he has those skills.”

That may come as a blow to Sunderland, as a physical midfield presence may be critical for their return to the top flight.

The expected exit of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund will see them lose some strength and energy in Regis Le Bris' engine room, and Pereira's comments certainly suggest that Doyle will not be a like-for-like replacement for the teenager.

Tommy Doyle may not be the right fit for Sunderland - Sheffield United may be better for him

Wolves manager Pereira has at least complimented Doyle on his technical ability, noting that he would be a strong central midfielder for a team that keeps a lot of the ball.

That will be a concern for Sunderland though, as they can expect to struggle for heavy possession stats next season against teams that are assembled more expensively than theirs.

Under Frenchman Regis Le Bris, the Black Cats surged to a dramatic play-off win, but they did not do it with a lot of possession.

They ranked 12th in the Sky Bet Championship for average possession with 49.1% across the season, while fellow promoted sides Leeds United (61.6%) and Burnley (56.9%) ranked as the highest and fourth-highest respectively.

They bettered Sheffield United’s possession in the play-off final at Wembley, but had just 26% away to Coventry City in their 2-1 victory in the semi-final and then only 41% in the return home leg.

While this formula has paved the way for success in Sunderland this season, it could put doubt over the recruitment of former Premier League winner Doyle after what the Wolves manager admitted about his attributes.

Next season, the Black Cats will be chasing the ball even more than they did in the second tier, having to make the most of their possession and play physically.

There are clearly doubts that Doyle is the man to help that cause in Sunderland’s Premier League return, and instead, a move to former club Sheffield United - a team who will likely be one of the more dominant ones in the Championship next season and will have a lot of the ball - would be more suitable for the 23-year-old to continue his career at than at at the Stadium of Light.