Key Sunderland midfielder looks set to depart during current transfer window, Tony Mowbray confirms
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray says there is a ‘fair percentage’ chance that Alex Pritchard will leave Wearside before the transfer deadline at the beginning of September
Alex Pritchard looks set to leave Sunderland before the transfer window closes, Tony Mowbray has confirmed. The midfielder is in the final year of his contract and he has been mentioned as one of a trio of experienced players – the others being Danny Batth and Lynden Gooch – who could move on this summer.
But while Blackburn Rovers are keen on Batth and QPR have been mooted as a potential destination for Gooch, no club has yet been linked with Pritchard. Mowbray is an admirer of Pritchard but has conceded that there is a ‘fair percentage’ chance that the 30-year-old will leave Wearside before the deadline at the beginning of next month.
“I like Pritch,” said Mowbray. “Pritch is a good player. I don’t want to get too prescriptive about it, but it looks like Pritch is going to leave the football club. We have to move past that, we have to move on – that’s football.
“Every footballer understands it is a transient game. I got a testimonial at Middlesbrough, I was there 12 years, but that’s very, very, rare in modern-day football.
“Footballers come, and then they move on, and supporters understand that. Alex’s situation is a little bit more complicated than I can discuss openly.
“He’s a good football player, but there is a fair percentage [chance] that he will leave the football club in the next few weeks. If he doesn’t, then we can have more discussions after the window shuts.”
Pritchard has not started either of Sunderland’s Championship games so far, but has come on as a substitute and made a positive impact in both, and it is possible that his final start for the club turns out to be in the Carabao Cup tie against Crewe Alexandra last week. Former Spurs and Huddersfield Town man Pritchard joined Sunderland as a free agent two years ago and helped the club win promotion from League One, and then qualify for the Championship play-offs last season.
Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, who is in overall charge of player trading and contracts, confirmed in February that the club had activated options in the contracts of both Pritchard and Batth to to extend their stays by a further 12 months until the end of the current campaign.
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