The decision by Sunderland to splash out over £8 million (plus future add-ons) on Connor Wickham could be seen as a huge gamble.
The Black Cats’ willingness to enter a bidding war with clubs such as Liverpool could effectively prove to bite them back, if the youngster does not deliver the goods.
There is no doubting that Wickham has potential; he has featured in 65 Championship games, with a respectable tally of 13 goals. He has also worked his way up the international ladder, turning out for every England youth side and starring in the team that won the European u-17 championships in 2010.
But the question remains, is he really worth the astonishing transfer fee that Sunderland forked out?
A big money move to a Premier League team can sometimes be hugely detrimental to a player’s development. Just ask Fabian Delph and John Bostock.
Delph was aged 19 when he joined Vila for £8m from Leeds United in 2009. He was seen as a key part of the midfield, with Villa fending off Manchester United to secure his services. But since his move, he has made just 10 appearances for the club and his career has undoubtedly been halted.
Bostock was aged just sixteen when he joined Tottenham from Crystal Palace in 2008. His move was amid controversy due to the amount Spurs paid for him, and the player certainly has yet to make an impact, with just three European appearances to his name. He is now aged 19, but has played a measly 29 career games, showing that moves to higher up the food chain do not always deliver regular football.
Of course, there are deals which do pay off, most notably Theo Walcott, who has gone on to become an Arsenal and England regular, yet these kind of occurrences are few and far between.
Returning to the subject of Wickham, he will have to prove the sceptics wrong, and the only way he can go about that is by justifying his price tag. That means gaining regular first-team football, and given the cut-throat nature of the Premier League, a decent scoring record will also be required.
It is an incredible amount of pressure lodged on such young shoulders, but Steve Bruce and Niall Quinn certainly feel that the 18-year old can handle it.
It is now up to Wickham to buck the recent trend, and show he is worth the risk.
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