Sunderland insist they are in no rush to sell any of their key players this summer but that may be something which they will review as time progresses over the course of this transfer window, owing to the offers they are likely going to have to fend off.
Sunderland’s immediate focus this summer has been to bring an end to their prolonged search for a new head coach, something which finally drew to its conclusion over the weekend with the appointment of Régis Le Bris from Lorient.
The Frenchman officially starts work on July 1 where he will link up with his new squad of players at the Academy of Light ahead of a critical pre-season period for the club to effectively get their house in order. Le Bris will need to sit down with a number of the club’s key players amid recent contractual concerns before quickly establishing and implementing his style of play on his new team over the course of the next month.
In the background, Sunderland’s recruitment team, led by sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, will endeavour to improve a squad which finished 16th in the Championship last season, 17 points and 17 goals behind the play-off spots and, conversely, just six points and nine goals above the bottom three. It suggests quite the sea change will be needed on Wearside between now and the end of the transfer window on August 30.
READ MORE:
- The inside story of Sunderland's Régis Le Bris appointment and will it work
- Régis Le Bris: The tactical transition and academy success which led him to Sunderland
- Régis Le Bris in tray and what's needed for a positive start at Sunderland
Given the nature of Le Bris’ appointment, and the period of time taken, coupled with the despondent mood around the Stadium of Light at the end of last season, the 48-year-old is walking into a potentially challenging situation ahead of just his third season in senior management.
For Le Bris to enjoy success, much is likely to depend on who stays or goes over the course of this transfer window, with several of Sunderland’s assets having been linked with moves to the Premier League at various stages over the last 12 months.
Throughout their return to the Championship in 2022, Sunderland have remained firm over their desire not to be branded as a ‘selling club’ or a club who ‘needs’ to sell – albeit their preference is to remain financially sustainable which will inevitably bring some periods of deliberation over certain players.
And it feels like we may be at that juncture with some players this summer.
For the desired model of owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Speakman to work both efficiently and effectively, there will be times where they may consider cashing in on an so-called asset – similar to what we saw last summer when sanctioning the sale of Ross Stewart. Although the club remain confident only a ‘premium fee’ will tempt them to sell some of these players, it’s the players’ contracts which also play a part.
Over the last number of weeks, Sunderland have been hit with potential contract issues with midfielders Dan Neil and Chris Rigg, both of whom stalled over committing their long-term futures to the club while the search for a new head coach stagnated. Jack Clarke, Sunderland’s player of the year and standout goal contributor over the last two seasons, is another player who has reached an impasse over a new deal at the Stadium of Light in the last 12 months amid both domestic and European interest.
How Le Bris’ first meetings go with a number of these players may be key as to whether they remain on Wearside or not, but if Sunderland are to cash-in on any of their prized assets this summer, who would they be and what value could they look to command?
READ MORE:
- Sunderland's squad audit: Where they need to strengthen, contracts and exits
- What is a successful transfer window? Analysing Sunderland under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus
- Eight under 25 per cent: The surprise numbers behind Sunderland's 2023 summer recruitment
We Are Sunderland examines the possible high-sale transfers of some of Sunderland’s squad who have been linked with moves away and whether it would benefit the club:
Anthony Patterson
Although their season diminished quickly last season, Sunderland still have plenty of players equipped with both quality and further potential which makes them attractive to clubs higher up the footballing pyramid.
One of those is goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
An example of what the club is keen to portray, Patterson is a graduate of the club’s academy and has been a large success since being handed the gloves in the senior squad back in 2022 under Alex Neil. The 24-year-old helped steer the club back to the Championship over the final months of the 2021-22 campaign before firmly establishing himself as Sunderland’s No.1 in the Championship, featuring in all but one of the 92 league games the club has had back at this level – the anomaly being the final game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday when he was left out in favour of Nathan Bishop.
But with Bishop primed for a move away from the Stadium of Light this summer, and Alex Bass already securing an move to Notts County, Patterson looks set to remain Sunderland’s No.1, that despite the arrival of Simon Moore on a free transfer.
Moore was brought in at the end of his contract with Coventry City and will provide back-up for Patterson this season as well as an experienced head around the dressing room and for Sunderland’s burgeoning goalkeeping talent at academy level with Adam Richardson and Matt Young. In the long-term, it is likely one of those two who the club may target as a replacement for Patterson, but that replacement may be more forthcoming should the club decide to sell their No.1 this summer.
Patterson has had interest quite routinely over the last 18 months with Leicester City and Liverpool both credited admirers, while Manchester City have been one of the latest clubs reportedly considering the 24-year-old as a support goalkeeper to Ederson, with newly promoted Southampton and recently relegated Sheffield United also potential suitors. One thing is clear, Patterson is certainly someone who Sunderland could receive an approach for this summer.
Patterson is Sunderland second-highest valued player according to Transfermarkt at £12million, a fee which corresponds with the kind of numbers the club would likely require to part company with their goalkeeper and also reflects the market value of similar goalkeepers with the likes of James Trafford valued at around £16m-plus.
Patterson signed a new contract last year which will keep him at the Stadium of Light until 2028 and, in that sense, makes him Sunderland’s biggest commodity in terms of time left on his deal.
At times last season Patterson was questioned over pushing the ball out into dangerous areas which led to goals being conceded before receiving the complete support of interim head coach Mike Dodds following Sunderland’s draw with Queens Park Rangers where he made a stunning last minute save to ensure a draw.
"I know this year he’s had some criticism and I think that save in itself and in the moment we’re at, justifies the comments and our belief as a football club that he’s one of the best goalies in the league," said Dodds.
“I'm not saying that Anthony Patterson is going to leave but if he continues on the trajectory he's on then I'm sure that there's going to be a huge amount of interest in him."
If Sunderland were to cash-in on Patterson they would likely receive in excess of £10m which could be used to improve other areas of the squad, particularly if the likes of Richardson and Young are deemed good enough to step into Patterson’s shoes from the academy, as he did three years ago.
In that regard, it could be the one position Sunderland are best-placed to consider a deal for, but given the importance of the club getting back on track this season, removing the mainstay of the defence over the last two seasons would be a gamble.
READ MORE: Why Anthony Patterson is statistically 'one of the best' Championship goalkeepers
Jobe Bellingham
Alongside Patterson, Jobe Bellingham is also valued at £12m as per Transfermarkt which highlights how impressive he has been in his first season at the Stadium of Light, despite being another who came in for criticism at various stages.
Jobe arrived from Birmingham City and quickly established himself as a key player for Sunderland in the first half of last season before fatigue and inexperience likely played its part in the second half of the year as Sunderland’s form nose-dived.
Jobe, at just 18-years-old, featured for a total of 3,925 minutes – the sixth most for Sunderland behind Neil (22), Dan Ballard (24), Luke O’Nien (29), Trai Hume (22) and goalkeeper Patterson (24) and was Sunderland’s second highest goalscorer behind Clarke with seven.
“He can go to the very top,” interim head coach Dodds said of Jobe during his first spell in charge last season. “I’ve worked with a lot of young players and he would be up there with the very best.
“I think he can get double figures next year, regardless of what position he plays. That will be an easy target for him. He’ll be 18, going on 19, that would be a huge achievement as a first-year pro.
“He’s scored seven goals which for a second-year scholar is unbelievable. I always reference the point he should be playing youth team football and when you use that as the marker, you realise how talented he is. I think he’s had a really successful year.”
Jobe’s first season at Sunderland has also brought about interest in his services with Premier League trio Crystal Palace, Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly keen to sign the 18-year-old and Sunderland know they possess a player with an exceptionally high ceiling in comparison to when he joined the club just 12 months ago.
Rightly or wrongly, Jobe will be attributed to his brother, Jude, which may, or may not, add a certain value to his transfer fee but, ultimately, Sunderland have a player capable of pushing towards the 10-goal barrier next season which brings about its own value on merit.
However, given Sunderland’s struggle for goals at times last season – failing to score in six of their final nine Championship games – it would be a huge risk to cash-in on Jobe this summer, even more so given the scope he has to improve this coming season.
Sunderland must nail down a permanent position for the talented 18-year-old, whether that be as a centre-forward or down the spine of the midfield, but Jobe is undoubtedly one of Sunderland’s key players at this moment in time and should only improve off the back of his first season at the Stadium of Light.
Head coach Le Bris has a reputation for developing young players during his time in France as an academy manager with both Lorient and Stade Rennais, and Jobe is a player who could potentially reap the rewards of that type of head coach.
Although valued at £12m, Sunderland are reportedly targeting nearer the £20m mark for Jobe and while that kind of fee would certainly boost the club’s finances and ability to spend elsewhere in the squad, there is a key balancing act with the potential fee Jobe could command next summer on the back of an improved second season at the Stadium of Light.
READ MORE: Jobe Bellingham's debut season at Sunderland and why he'd be a miss if he leaves
Dan Neil
Neil is one of the players to have stalled over a potential new deal at the Stadium of Light, with his current contract set to expire in 2026.
Sunderland are said to be relaxed about Neil’s situation, owing to the length of time left on his contract, but the appointment of Le Bris and how the short-term period between now and the start of the new season goes could play a big part in where Neil sees his future in the long-term.
The 22-year-old is one shy of 150 appearances for his boyhood club which is testament to rise the midfielder has had over the last three years in particular. Having been handed his first league start in League One at left-back, Neil has transitioned into a polished midfielder at Championship level, and one who has plenty of admirers from the Premier League with a number of teams sending scouts to watch him over the course of the last two seasons.
Neil is another where there needs to be a definitive decision made on where his best-placed position should be, having featured in a number of roles through the centre of midfield. Neil, last season, was deployed as a holding midfielder, something which will interest new head coach Le Bris given his philosophy of building out from the back and drawing in a high press. Neil’s composure on the ball will be something the Frenchman could turn to when looking for his team to receive possession in tight spaces inside their own defensive third and progress his team up the pitch.
Despite playing that deeper-lying role, Neil registered as Sunderland’s second-highest goal contributor behind Clarke last season with nine and that is a total he will be keen to improve on again next season having done so from the 2022-23 campaign.
Neil, another who has progressed through the club’s academy, is valued at just £5m as per Transfermarkt but it is widely accepted any club wanting to sign the midfielder this summer would have to part with a significantly larger sum than that.
“I’m a huge Dan Neil fan," Dodds told We Are Sunderland. "In my personal opinion I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. I think he’s got a huge future ahead of him and he should be one of the players the club are building the team around and I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“He looks at every aspect of his game to improve and I think that’s the bit that will take him to where he wants to get to and, hopefully, that’s here and he propels us to where we want to go.”
Neil has received some criticisms for losing possession in dangerous areas since Sunderland returned to the Championship but given the style of play they are trying to attain, as like most clubs, having that kind of player who is confident and comfortable in taking possession of the ball and being the linchpin of a team is vital, and Neil has shown impressive gains over his two years at this level.
Equally, following the exit of Corry Evans, Neil is one of few midfielders within the first team squad capable of carrying out that deep-lying role. Although it has been suggested both Neil and Pierre Ekwah may benefit from being positioned slightly further forward, the centre of midfield is a critical area for Sunderland’s recruitment team to address this summer in order to supplement the talent of Neil in particular.
Like Clarke, who we will discuss next, Neil has two years remaining on his deal at the Stadium of Light which, although they remain relaxed, does put the club in a potentially difficult situation. If Neil continues to be unwilling to sign a new longer-term deal with the club over the next six months, the value the club have placed on him will only decrease moving forward as he heads towards what would then be the final year on his deal next summer.
Although that means Sunderland will get another year out of one of their key players, they are potentially losing a significant sum of money than if they considered a deal this summer.
Neil is currently dealing with an ankle injury which ruled him out of the final three games of last season but it’s expected that he will form an integral part of Le Bris’ Sunderland team this season which means sanctioning a move away from Wearside seems unlikely at this stage.
READ MORE: Dan Neil is one of Sunderland's most valuable assets, so why is he underappreciated?
Jack Clarke
With a £15m valuation as per Transfermarkt, Clarke is Sunderland’s biggest asset in terms of financial value and that undoubtedly tracks given the season he had last year.
Clarke was imperative to Sunderland’s season with 15 goals and four assists to his name, adding to the nine goals and 11 assists made in the 2022-23 campaign making him the Championship’s leading goal contributor over the last two seasons, on his way to scooping both the club and fans’ player of the year awards.
Outside of academy prospects making their way through the ranks and into the first team, Clarke is the definitive example of Sunderland’s strategy and how they are keen to operate. Brought in on loan from Tottenham in January 2022, Clarke was actually inconsistent in League One before showing his potential down the stretch of that campaign and his threat on the wing, in particular in the second leg of the play-off semi-final with Sheffield Wednesday.
Clarke was left out of the starting line-up by Alex Neil for the play-off final with Wycombe Wanderers but had done enough to convince Sunderland of a permanent move for the winger that summer for a fee believed to be around the £1m mark, with a number of future incentives and sell-on values owed to Tottenham. It has turned out to be one of the shrewdest pieces of transfer business in Sunderland’s recent history with Clarke now likely valued at 20-times that.
Sunderland turned down bids for Clarke throughout the course of the last 12 months from both the Premier League and across Europe following Lazio’s interest in January, with those bids understood to have been around the £10m-£15m mark. Given their stance over Jobe, for example, Sunderland are likely to demand at least a similar fee in the £20m region but that is a valuation they are only likely to be able to command this summer as Clarke’s two-year deal continues to track down.
"There's not many people know it but in Jack's contract he had a few games at the start of the season then to get offered a new deal. There was a deal that was offered but it wasn't good enough," Clarke's agent Ian Harte revealed earlier this year.
"We were happy to sign a deal but that was earlier on in the summer time and it hasn't been revisited. The simple fact is Jack and myself wanted to sign an additional contract last summer. This was in his contract, but unfortunately the club has a structure and didn't want to break it."
READ MORE: Jack Clarke's agent lifts lid on injury, Sunderland contract issue, bids and his future
Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton, West Ham United and Crystal Palace are some of the top-flight clubs who have been credited with an interest over the last 12 months and that interest is only likely to intensify this summer over what interim head coach Dodds described as ‘one of, if not the best winger in the Championship’ last season - Palace in particular could renew their interest in Clarke with Michael Olise set to join Bayern Munich.
Much like with Neil, and teenager Rigg, Clarke’s discussions with new head coach Le Bris could prove key over the coming days and weeks as to whether he sees his future away from Sunderland or not this season – with the player yet to show any signs of frustration over not being granted a move.
“I’d like to think I’ve grown a lot during my time here and it’s due to the fans, due to the club and due to the players I’ve had around me,” Clarke explained in an interview after picking up the player of the year award.
“We’ve had a really good group and I’ve had some really good people to learn off in the last couple of years so that’s a credit to the club and it could be the fact that I’m at home and playing football.
“Whenever you’re playing you feel better and you only play your best stuff, I feel, when you get a run somewhere and I’ve been happy ever since I walked through the door.”
Replacing Clarke would be testing for an ownership group who must show their transfer intent this summer after the failings of recruitment over the course of the last three transfer windows. Although Sunderland could obtain a hefty fee, replacing a player who has been so vital to the teams goal output over the last two seasons seems fanciful at best.
The club are yet to suitably replace Stewart’s goals since being injured in January 2023, while Amad Diallo’s impact on loan from Manchester United also demonstrates just how difficult it is to find players with that x-factor in attack. To lose Clarke would be a hammer blow for new head coach Le Bris so early into his tenure but the club may be reaching a juncture where that seems inevitable.
Clarke has developed immensely at the Stadium of Light and now finds himself knocking on the Premier League door. Given Sunderland’s alarming drop off in form last season, and the complete unknown as to how Le Bris’ tenure could transpire, it’s unclear as to whether Sunderland will find themselves closer to a return to the Premier League themselves or not next season, which may impact Clarke’s own decision.
Sunderland have players in the building who they will expect more from next season; the likes of Romaine Mundle, Abdoullah Ba and Nazariy Rusyn, but to expect either of those players to fill the potential void vacated by Clarke would be naïve.
Although Clarke’s value is likely to decrease from this point on, his impact on this Sunderland squad outweighs the potential transfer fee Sunderland could acquire at this stage – but actually being able to retain his services is another thing.
Read the rules here