Former Brighton striker to seal Championship free transfer

Ex-Brighton striker Aaron Connolly is set to move to Championship highflyers Sunderland.

Connolly, 23, left Hull City at the end of last season, where he netted10 times in 36 games, and is currently without a club.

Sunderland have started well in the second tier this term and are second in the table – behind leaders West Bromwich Albion – with 15 points from six games.

Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris is keen to add additional firepower for the season ahead and sees the ex-Brighton man as an ideal fit.

Former Brighton boss Graham Potter was an admirer of Connolly’s talent and on his day he had the pace and talent to trouble the best Premier League. Injury issues and a lack of dedication prevented him from reaching his full potential at Brighton, where he scored eight goals from 52 senior appearances.

His most memorable outing for the Seagulls came in 2019 when he scored two excellent goals during a 3-0 victory against Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham at the Amex Stadium.

During his time at Brighton he had loan spells with Luton, Middlesbrough and Serie B club Venezia before making the switch to Hull in 2023.

It was under Liam Rosenior at Hull where he seemed to get his career back on track with with eight Championship goals from 13 starts for the Tigers.

Connolly also has nine caps for the Republic of Ireland, with his most recent coming last July against France in a European Championship qualifier.

The ex-Albion man has recently admitted he was not as focussed as he should have been during his time at Brighton and his loan experiences – especially in Italy – has helped him bring a more professional approach to his lifestyle and football.

A move to promotion-seeking Sunderland could prove an ideal move for both parties.