‘In the balance’ – Lee Hendrie issues verdict on potential Sunderland exit amid Southampton transfer interest
Southampton’s efforts to lure Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson away from the Stadium of Light this summer could ultimately hinge on the Black Cats’ fate in this month’s Championship play-offs, according to EFL pundit Lee Hendrie.
A recent report from The Sun suggested that the Saints are considering a swoop for the 24-year-old following their relegation from the Premier League. It is understood that current number one Aaron Ramsdale is likely to leave the club, either on loan or permanently, over the coming months
But while Southampton know for certain which division they will be playing their football in next season, Sunderland could still secure a spot in the top flight, and if that does happen, then Hendrie is of the opinion that Patterson will stick around on Wearside.
What has Lee Hendrie said about Anthony Patterson’s Sunderland future?
“You feel, yes, Anthony Patterson had a great season this season, actually; really instrumental in their push to promotion and fixating that play-offs spot, which they have done again. This could hang in the balance. I think, yes, for sure, that Southampton would be looking to maybe take him to the football club, but you do feel that if Sunderland get promoted, would he actually leave Sunderland? I’m not so sure he would do.
“He’s been there for quite some time and he knows the foundation of the football club. I just think that it’ll all hang in the balance of whether Sunderland actually get promoted, because, listen, lots of players in the Championship, they want to play in the Premier League, and that might be his opportunity.”
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What has Regis Le Bris said about Sunderland’s play-off hopes?
Asked what he would say to fans feeling pessimistic about Sunderland’s play-off hopes following their recent run of five successive defeats, head coach Le Bris responded: “I understand, but we have to remember where we were one season before. This team has shown so many qualities this season, it doesn’t disappear like that [clicks fingers]. It has been a really strange period because we secured this place so early, and it was clear that this squad, the youngest in the league with a small core, deserved to recover.
“We disturbed the flow of the squad—its rhythm and its references—so that they could recover and so that we could test some new foundations. But in the end, we know our foundations as a team. We know what works and what is positive for us, we know in our heads maybe what options could be good for us in the games. We are clear on our foundations, and I think at that level, we are always on the edge; it’s not unusual. The players are ready to react.”
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