CORK CITY ARE weighing up the future of leading goalscorer Graham Cummins amid interest in the striker from several other SSE Airtricity League clubs.
City are keen to bring in new players after the transfer window opens on 1 July. Before he can do so, interim manager John Cotter must reduce his existing wage bill.
As one of the club’s highest earners, the option to transfer Cummins — possibly on a loan deal — is being given serious consideration by the Leesiders. Shamrock Rovers, Bohemians and Waterford are all said to have registered their interest.
Cummins returned for a second spell at Cork City ahead of the 2018 season. After scoring four times in their opening two league games of that campaign, he was named SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association Player of the Month for February.
The 31-year-old Corkman finished the season with 14 Premier Division goals, a tally that was only bettered by Dundalk’s Patrick Hoban (29) and City team-mate Kieran Sadlier (16).
Cummins is his club’s leading marksman so far this season. He scored his fourth goal of the year by giving City an early lead in last Friday’s 1-1 draw away to Sligo Rovers.
During a six-year spell in the UK, he had stints with Preston North End, Rochdale, Exeter City and St Johnstone, before John Caulfield brought him home last year.
Having endured a disappointing year so far, John Cotter — who succeeded Caulfield on an interim basis in May — wants to freshen up his options for the remainder of the campaign.
As well as aiming to move up the Premier Division table from their current position of seventh, Cotter’s side will embark on a Europa League campaign which begins next month with a tie against Progrès Niederkorn (Luxembourg) or Cardiff Metropolitan University (Wales). A clash with Scottish giants Rangers could be their reward for advancing.
In all competitions so far in 2019, City have used 31 players, including Shane Daly Bütz, Liam Nash, Matty Gillam and Dan Smith, who have all departed since the campaign began.
However, further trimming of the squad will be required for the Turner’s Cross outfit, who also currently have Aaron Barry and John Kavanagh out on loan at Bohemians and Finn Harps respectively.
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