Sunderland To Allow Player Exit After Identifying “Wonderkid” Replacement
After announcing the signing of Simon Moore last week, Sunderland are willing to allow Nathan Bishop to leave the club, having already identified his replacement, according to reports.
Bishop moved to the Stadium of Light last summer for an undisclosed fee from Premier League giants Manchester United. However, he failed to make many appearances for the Black Cats, playing merely two games for the club, including one in the Championship.
Anthony Patterson was the Wearside club’s number ‘1’ between the sticks and had an impressive individual season despite the club’s struggles on the pitch. As a result, the shot-stopper has garnered interest from clubs in the top-flight, including Liverpool and Southampton, although it has been reported over the past few days that Sunderland are hoping to get £20 million for Patterson, who still has four years remaining on his contract.
The Sun released a report on Sunday afternoon, claiming that the board are willing to allow Bishop to leave the club this summer to make way for a new arrival. The former Mansfield Town loanee has two years left on his deal with the Black Cats so the hierarchy will receive a fee for the 22-year-old who boasts a market value of £250,000, as per Transfermarkt.
Furthermore, the outlet are claiming that Sunderland are set to sell Bishop to make room in the squad for Australian “wonderkid” Robert Cook who will fly to the Northeast of England next month for talks with the club. The 17-year-old has yet to make a senior appearance for current side Perth Glory but is deemed to be one of the most promising talents Down Under. Additionally, he holds a British passport, allowing him to bypass Brexit work permit regulations.
Writer’s View
This is a deal that makes sense for Sunderland and Bishop. The former Man United goalkeeper is too young to remain as a number ‘2’ with limited game-time so it’s important that he earns a permanent move away from the club to prevent his development from being hindered any further.
Moore, 34, has already been confirmed as a player on Wearside after a three-year spell with Championship outfit Coventry City. He will likely take Bishop’s place on the bench while Cook is still just 17 and is one for the future. Sunderland’s goalkeeping department is preparing for more of a shake-up than any other area of the squad.
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