The January transfer window is looming into view and clubs across the EFL will be seeking to strengthen their squads in order to secure their goals in the second half of the season.

Two teams that are expected to be active are Bolton Wanderers and Cardiff City, who should both be aiming to bring in Sunderland striker Timur Tutierov this winter.

Both Bolton and Cardiff gained promotion back to the second-tier last season and they have both been competitive in the Championship, heading into the November international break sitting 14th and 18th respectively.

Bolton missed the chance to close in on the top half as they succumbed to a 3-1 defeat away at Derby County last week, having been ahead at half-time, but they remain a respectable seven points clear of the bottom three and the relegation places after winning the League One play-offs in May.

As for Cardiff, The Bluebirds’ performances may well have supporters believing they could have a tilt at the top eight and the expanded play-off spots. Goal scoring issues may not be forefront of their mind right now after coming from 4-1 down to beat Burnley at the weekend, a few days after giving up a three-goal lead to draw with West Ham United.

Both have laid a foundation for themselves and adding some extra depth and quality this winter could be key to their end of season aspirations – and Tutierov may well be a promising market opportunity for either.

Timur Tutierov is back on the fringes at Sunderland

Ukraine U21 international Timur Tutierov joined Sunderland from Ukrainian Premier League outfit Kolos Kovalivka in the summer of 2023 and it is only now that the 21-year-old forward is beginning to get first-team football at the Stadium of Light.

Capable of playing out-wide, Tutierov, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Exeter City in League One, has been linked with a move to Blackburn Rovers, too, recently.

Tutierov has benefitted from Sunderland having a small squad and injuries to strikers Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor, as well as Regis Le Bris not yet trusting summer signing Juan Riquelme Angulo, has prompted a rapid promotion to the first-team picture for the Ukrainian on Wearside.

Tutierov has continued to feature for Sunderland’s U21 side, and he even got a goal and an assist against Accrington Stanley in the EFL Trophy earlier this season, while filling in for the likes of Isidor and Brobbey.

Tutierov made his first Sunderland start in the UEFA Europa League last month as The Black Cats defeated Portuguese second-tier outfit Torreense away from home before he scored his first European goal for the club in their next game, a 1-1 draw with Lech Poznan in Poland.

Domestically, Tutierov has made two Premier League appearances, including a start against AFC Bournemouth a few weeks ago, as well as having played in both of their EFL Cup games thus far; again scoring in a 3-2 victory over Brentford in the fourth round.

Sunderland supporters have questioned Le Bris’ decision-making at times this season and there are question marks over the viability of Tutierov’s long-term future in the first-team picture but the Ukrainian has certainly shown some signs of promise in terms of his finishing and his ability to be a nuisance for a struggling side.

However, as Brobbey returns to full fitness and Haiti international striker Isidor also makes his comeback, there is an expectation that Tutierov is pushed out on loan again this winter, especially if Sunderland again reinforce their squad up-front, and Championship clubs should be ready to take a punt.

Bolton could do with more mobility in attack

For much of the summer, Bolton pursued former Milton Keynes Dons striker Max Dean and it looked as though The Trotters were about to get a deal over the line before the close of the summer transfer window.

However, Dean’s move eventually collapsed and Wanderers instead only brought in Ryan Hardie on loan from Wrexham and Theo Bair on loan from Auxerre as an out and out striker to support Sam Dalby up-front.

Hardie has badly struggled in his brief cameos for The Whites, while Bair has shown flashes of quality but a general inconsistency as well as being almost too similar a profile to main man Dalby in attack.

Another striker is a must for Steven Schumacher this winter and a striker of a different profile, one in which they can be a threat with runs in behind and off the ball, would be key.

Given his ability to play out-wide and with a bit of speed, Tutierov would surely fit that bill and, as he continued to gain some much-needed high-level experience, Bolton may well be the beneficiaries of a breakthrough season for the former Kolos man.

Cardiff in need of depth and options up-front

Cardiff have a well set and impressive style of football implemented by coach Brian Barry-Murphy and their style of football has not been short of goals with nine scored in their last two games against teams playing in the Premier League last season.

A theme of Barry-Murphy’s reign has been a trust in the youth setup and few signings have been made in his three transfer windows in charge, albeit the sheer volume of academy graduates has meant they have not remained short up-front.

Versatility is another key with plenty of players having played in a variety of positions for the Northern Irishman and that extends to up-front with the versatile Callum Robinson adept at filling in for first-choice striker Yousef Salech - though he's been banished in recent weeks.

Salech hasn’t been at his most efficient best this season but he has remained a threat and goals have started to come for the Dane, who like Dalby, would remain the main man if Tutierov was to sign.

What is required, though, is that depth up-front with only three players scoring more than twice in the Championship so far this season for Cardiff – one being Salech, another being winger Ollie Tanner and the other the all-action attacker that is Jack Moylan.

In terms of another out and out striker, Cardiff don’t really possess one and, while Tutierov can play wide which would be another virtue in a Barry-Murphy side, adding extra depth to sustain themselves in the second-tier feels like a necessity.