Marc McNulty Departs For Sunderland

There’s another player through the exit door today, with Marc McNulty joining Sunderland. The Scottish striker has agreed a loan stay with the League One side that will keep him there for the duration of the season.

It’s a good move for all parties. Sunderland get a proven goalscorer at third-tier level, McNulty gets regular football at a good club, and Reading have another player off the books for this campaign. However, the Royals would ideally have wanted to cash in on McNulty with a permanent move.

That looked like happening via Hibernian, who had got the best out of McNulty in a goal-laden loan spell in the back half of last season. The Scottish side’s interest in making that move permanent was well-publicised, not least from manager Paul Heckingbottom.

However, no move materialised, with Hibs priced out. Other, more recent interest came up though, with Charlton Athletic boss Lee Bowyer confirming that his side wanted McNulty, but the forward chose League One Sunderland instead.

The best we can hope for now of course is that McNulty continues where he left off with Coventry City by scoring regularly for Sunderland. At the very least that will keep him in the shop window next summer, making a permanent exit that bit easier.