Southampton linked with double swoop for £40m-rated Sunderland pair pending final signature within 12 hours…
Southampton are the latest club to be linked with a move for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
Patterson has been Sunderland’s number one since midway through the club’s final season in League One after replacing Ron-Thorben Hoffmann under Alex Neil. Since then, the North Shields-born stopper started all but one of Sunderland’s league games with number two Nathan Bishop getting the nod for the final game of last season against Sheffield Wednesday.
Patterson’s successful run in Sunderland’s first-team has prompted transfer reports to emerge linking Arsenal, Liverpool and Celtic with a move during the summer window. Some outlets have rated the goalkeeper as worth as much as £10million to £20million. The Echo understands that the interest from the trio is indeed genuine. However, Alan Nixon is now also reporting that Premier League new boys Southampton are also keen.
Nixon’s report states that Southampton are looking at Patterson after losing Gavin Bazunu to a lengthy injury with Russell Martin not wanting to rely on Alex McCarthy alone. Nixon also adds that Sunderland would want around £15million to £20 million for Patterson while the Saints would prefer to do business at about half of those prices.
Southampton also interested in Jack Clarke
The Saints won promotion to the Premier League after Russell Martin’s men defeated Daniel Farke’s Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley at the end of the season to secure a first-time return to the top flight, which prompted transfer links to Sunderland’s Jack Clarke.
Southampton’s interest in Clarke dates back to last January but their promotion now means they can look at a deal seriously with their Premier League status likely to attract the player’s attention this summer. Lazio and other Premier League clubs are also thought to hold an interest in the winger.
Clarke contributed 15 goals alongside four assists in the Championship this season and is rated at around £20million with interest in the former Tottenham man expected during the summer window as Sunderland looks to rebuild. It is thought to be unlikely that Clarke will sign a new deal at Sunderland.
The attacker has two years left on his current deal. It is understood that Tottenham would be owed money from any potential Clarke sale. It is thought to be unlikley that Sunderland would sell both Clarke and Patterson in the same window, however.
When the Lads returned to the Championship Anthony Patterson was always expected to be the first choice stopper, but with only half a season of Football League action behind him there was an assumption that a wise head would be brought in to provide a bit of backup. John Ruddy was one of the names linked at the time and would have supplied plenty of ‘know how’, but in the end it was Alex Bass that came to Wearside, despite the fact he hadn’t played higher than League One at that stage in his career.
